diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f678f156d..c832d701d 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -166,6 +166,16 @@ if(ENABLE_TESTS AND NOT ENABLE_HEADLESS)
   message(FATAL_ERROR "Headless mode is required for tests.")
 endif()
 
+# Set this to override aspell's dictionaries directory
+if(ASPELL_DICT_DIR)
+  add_definitions(-DASPELL_DICT_DIR="${ASPELL_DICT_DIR}")
+endif()
+
+# Set this to override the myspell dictionaries directory when using enchant
+if(ENCHANT_MYSPELL_DICT_DIR)
+  add_definitions(-DENCHANT_MYSPELL_DICT_DIR="${ENCHANT_MYSPELL_DICT_DIR}")
+endif()
+
 # option WEECHAT_HOME
 set(WEECHAT_HOME "${WEECHAT_HOME}" CACHE
   STRING "Force a single WeeChat home directory for config, logs, scripts, etc."
diff --git a/src/plugins/spell/spell-command.c b/src/plugins/spell/spell-command.c
index 82fd51184..35da2df22 100644
--- a/src/plugins/spell/spell-command.c
+++ b/src/plugins/spell/spell-command.c
@@ -157,6 +157,9 @@ spell_command_speller_list_dicts (void)
                                NULL);
 #else
     config = new_aspell_config ();
+#ifdef ASPELL_DICT_DIR
+    aspell_config_replace (config, "dict-dir", ASPELL_DICT_DIR);
+#endif
     list = get_aspell_dict_info_list (config);
     elements = aspell_dict_info_list_elements (list);
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/spell/spell-completion.c b/src/plugins/spell/spell-completion.c
index 9ea6b4e7d..c7d9d5448 100644
--- a/src/plugins/spell/spell-completion.c
+++ b/src/plugins/spell/spell-completion.c
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ spell_completion_dicts_cb (const void *pointer, void *data,
                                completion);
 #else
     config = new_aspell_config ();
+#ifdef ASPELL_DICT_DIR
+    aspell_config_replace (config, "dict-dir", ASPELL_DICT_DIR);
+#endif
     list = get_aspell_dict_info_list (config);
     elements = aspell_dict_info_list_elements (list);
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/spell/spell-speller.c b/src/plugins/spell/spell-speller.c
index 5953f60ac..7e8b3c803 100644
--- a/src/plugins/spell/spell-speller.c
+++ b/src/plugins/spell/spell-speller.c
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ spell_speller_dict_supported (const char *lang)
     rc = 0;
 
     config = new_aspell_config ();
+#ifdef ASPELL_DICT_DIR
+    aspell_config_replace (config, "dict-dir", ASPELL_DICT_DIR);
+#endif
     list = get_aspell_dict_info_list (config);
     elements = aspell_dict_info_list_elements (list);
 
@@ -174,6 +177,9 @@ spell_speller_new (const char *lang)
     /* create a speller instance for the newly created cell */
     config = new_aspell_config ();
     aspell_config_replace (config, "lang", lang);
+#ifdef ASPELL_DICT_DIR
+    aspell_config_replace (config, "dict-dir", ASPELL_DICT_DIR);
+#endif
 #endif /* USE_ENCHANT */
 
     /* apply all options */
diff --git a/src/plugins/spell/spell.c b/src/plugins/spell/spell.c
index c506eb8bf..10a7e0c26 100644
--- a/src/plugins/spell/spell.c
+++ b/src/plugins/spell/spell.c
@@ -1180,6 +1180,9 @@ weechat_plugin_init (struct t_weechat_plugin *plugin, int argc, char *argv[])
     broker = enchant_broker_init ();
     if (!broker)
         return WEECHAT_RC_ERROR;
+#ifdef ENCHANT_MYSPELL_DICT_DIR
+    enchant_broker_set_param(broker, "enchant.myspell.dictionary.path", ENCHANT_MYSPELL_DICT_DIR);
+#endif
 #endif /* USE_ENCHANT */
 
     if (!spell_speller_init ())