diff --git a/espanso-path/src/lib.rs b/espanso-path/src/lib.rs
index 1b1e8e0..d42b577 100644
--- a/espanso-path/src/lib.rs
+++ b/espanso-path/src/lib.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,11 @@ pub struct Paths {
   pub packages: PathBuf,
 }
 
-pub fn resolve_paths(force_config_dir: Option<&Path>, force_runtime_dir: Option<&Path>) -> Paths {
+pub fn resolve_paths(
+  force_config_dir: Option<&Path>,
+  force_package_dir: Option<&Path>,
+  force_runtime_dir: Option<&Path>,
+) -> Paths {
   let config_dir = if let Some(config_dir) = force_config_dir {
     config_dir.to_path_buf()
   } else if let Some(config_dir) = get_config_dir() {
@@ -59,7 +63,9 @@ pub fn resolve_paths(force_config_dir: Option<&Path>, force_runtime_dir: Option<
     runtime_dir
   };
 
-  let packages_dir = if let Some(package_dir) = get_packages_dir(&config_dir, &runtime_dir) {
+  let packages_dir = if let Some(package_dir) = force_package_dir {
+    package_dir.to_path_buf()
+  } else if let Some(package_dir) = get_packages_dir(&config_dir, &runtime_dir) {
     package_dir
   } else {
     // Create the packages directory if not already present
@@ -71,8 +77,8 @@ pub fn resolve_paths(force_config_dir: Option<&Path>, force_runtime_dir: Option<
 
   Paths {
     config: config_dir,
-    runtime: runtime_dir, 
-    packages: packages_dir, 
+    runtime: runtime_dir,
+    packages: packages_dir,
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/espanso/src/main.rs b/espanso/src/main.rs
index d0dfa5d..e23fcf9 100644
--- a/espanso/src/main.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/main.rs
@@ -92,6 +92,12 @@ fn main() {
         .takes_value(true)
         .help("Specify a custom path from which espanso should read the configuration"),
     )
+    .arg(
+      Arg::with_name("package_dir")
+        .long("package_dir")
+        .takes_value(true)
+        .help("Specify a custom path for the espanso package directory"),
+    )
     .arg(
       Arg::with_name("runtime_dir")
         .long("runtime_dir")
@@ -256,9 +262,10 @@ fn main() {
 
     if handler.requires_paths || handler.requires_config {
       let force_config_path = get_path_override(&matches, "config_dir", "ESPANSO_CONFIG_DIR");
+      let force_package_path = get_path_override(&matches, "package_dir", "ESPANSO_PACKAGE_DIR");
       let force_runtime_path = get_path_override(&matches, "runtime_dir", "ESPANSO_RUNTIME_DIR");
       
-      let paths = espanso_path::resolve_paths(force_config_path.as_deref(), force_runtime_path.as_deref());
+      let paths = espanso_path::resolve_paths(force_config_path.as_deref(), force_package_path.as_deref(), force_runtime_path.as_deref());
 
       info!("reading configs from: {:?}", paths.config);
       info!("reading packages from: {:?}", paths.packages);