diff --git a/geanygendoc/src/ggd-utils.c b/geanygendoc/src/ggd-utils.c
index 07a6d7dbd..29a2ba8b1 100644
--- a/geanygendoc/src/ggd-utils.c
+++ b/geanygendoc/src/ggd-utils.c
@@ -135,6 +135,24 @@ ggd_copy_file (const gchar *input,
   return success;
 }
 
+static gchar *
+get_data_dir_path (const gchar *filename)
+{
+  gchar *prefix = NULL;
+  gchar *path;
+
+#ifdef G_OS_WIN32
+  prefix = g_win32_get_package_installation_directory_of_module (NULL);
+#elif defined(__APPLE__)
+  if (g_getenv ("GEANY_PLUGINS_SHARE_PATH"))
+    return g_build_filename (g_getenv ("GEANY_PLUGINS_SHARE_PATH"), 
+                             PLUGIN, filename, NULL);
+#endif
+  path = g_build_filename (prefix ? prefix : "", PLUGINDATADIR, filename, NULL);
+  g_free (prefix);
+  return path;
+}
+
 /**
  * ggd_get_config_file:
  * @name: The name of the configuration file to get (ASCII string)
@@ -161,7 +179,6 @@ ggd_get_config_file (const gchar *name,
                      GError     **error)
 {
   gchar  *path = NULL;
-  gchar  *system_prefix = NULL;
   gchar  *user_dir;
   gchar  *user_path;
   gchar  *system_dir;
@@ -170,17 +187,12 @@ ggd_get_config_file (const gchar *name,
   g_return_val_if_fail (name != NULL, NULL);
   g_return_val_if_fail (error == NULL || *error == NULL, NULL);
   
-#ifdef G_OS_WIN32
-  system_prefix = g_win32_get_package_installation_directory_of_module (NULL);
-#endif
-  
   /* here we guess the locale encoding is ASCII-compatible, anyway it's the case
    * on Windows since we use UTF-8 and on UNIX it would cause too much troubles
    * everywhere if it is not anyway */
   user_dir = g_build_filename (geany->app->configdir, "plugins",
                                GGD_PLUGIN_CNAME, section, NULL);
-  system_dir = g_build_filename (system_prefix ? system_prefix : "",
-                                 PLUGINDATADIR, section, NULL);
+  system_dir = get_data_dir_path (section);
   user_path = g_build_filename (user_dir, name, NULL);
   system_path = g_build_filename (system_dir, name, NULL);
   if (perms_req & GGD_PERM_R) {
@@ -259,7 +271,6 @@ ggd_get_config_file (const gchar *name,
   if (path != system_path) g_free (system_path);
   g_free (user_dir);
   g_free (system_dir);
-  g_free (system_prefix);
   
   return path;
 }
diff --git a/geniuspaste/src/geniuspaste.c b/geniuspaste/src/geniuspaste.c
index 5cd29a53f..d39b47ee0 100644
--- a/geniuspaste/src/geniuspaste.c
+++ b/geniuspaste/src/geniuspaste.c
@@ -244,17 +244,29 @@ static void load_pastebins_in_dir(const gchar *path)
     }
 }
 
-static void load_all_pastebins(void)
+static gchar *get_data_dir_path(const gchar *filename)
 {
-#ifdef G_OS_WIN32
-    gchar *prefix = g_win32_get_package_installation_directory_of_module(NULL);
-#else
     gchar *prefix = NULL;
+    gchar *path;
+
+#ifdef G_OS_WIN32
+    prefix = g_win32_get_package_installation_directory_of_module(NULL);
+#elif defined(__APPLE__)
+    if (g_getenv("GEANY_PLUGINS_SHARE_PATH"))
+        return g_build_filename(g_getenv("GEANY_PLUGINS_SHARE_PATH"), 
+                                PLUGIN, filename, NULL);
 #endif
+    path = g_build_filename(prefix ? prefix : "", PLUGINDATADIR, filename, NULL);
+    g_free(prefix);
+    return path;
+}
+
+static void load_all_pastebins(void)
+{
     gchar *paths[] = {
         g_build_filename(geany->app->configdir, "plugins", "geniuspaste",
                          "pastebins", NULL),
-        g_build_filename(prefix ? prefix : "", PLUGINDATADIR, "pastebins", NULL)
+        get_data_dir_path("pastebins")
     };
     guint i;
 
@@ -264,8 +276,6 @@ static void load_all_pastebins(void)
         g_free(paths[i]);
     }
     pastebins = g_slist_sort(pastebins, sort_pastebins);
-
-    g_free(prefix);
 }
 
 static void free_all_pastebins(void)
diff --git a/git-changebar/src/gcb-plugin.c b/git-changebar/src/gcb-plugin.c
index 5f29ced7e..8f9d7e12d 100644
--- a/git-changebar/src/gcb-plugin.c
+++ b/git-changebar/src/gcb-plugin.c
@@ -1386,19 +1386,31 @@ on_plugin_configure_response (GtkDialog        *dialog,
   }
 }
 
+static gchar *
+get_data_dir_path (const gchar *filename)
+{
+  gchar *prefix = NULL;
+  gchar *path;
+
+#ifdef G_OS_WIN32
+  prefix = g_win32_get_package_installation_directory_of_module (NULL);
+#elif defined(__APPLE__)
+  if (g_getenv ("GEANY_PLUGINS_SHARE_PATH"))
+    return g_build_filename (g_getenv ("GEANY_PLUGINS_SHARE_PATH"), 
+                             PLUGIN, filename, NULL);
+#endif
+  path = g_build_filename (prefix ? prefix : "", PLUGINDATADIR, filename, NULL);
+  g_free (prefix);
+  return path;
+}
+
 GtkWidget *
 plugin_configure (GtkDialog *dialog)
 {
   GError     *error   = NULL;
   GtkWidget  *base    = NULL;
   GtkBuilder *builder = gtk_builder_new ();
-#ifdef G_OS_WIN32
-  gchar      *prefix  = g_win32_get_package_installation_directory_of_module (NULL);
-#else
-  gchar      *prefix  = NULL;
-#endif
-  gchar      *path    = g_build_filename (prefix ? prefix : "", PLUGINDATADIR,
-                                          "prefs.ui", NULL);
+  gchar      *path    = get_data_dir_path ("prefs.ui");
   
   gtk_builder_set_translation_domain (builder, GETTEXT_PACKAGE);
   if (! gtk_builder_add_from_file (builder, path, &error)) {
@@ -1444,7 +1456,6 @@ plugin_configure (GtkDialog *dialog)
   }
   
   g_free (path);
-  g_free (prefix);
   g_object_unref (builder);
   
   return base;
diff --git a/overview/overview/overviewprefspanel.c b/overview/overview/overviewprefspanel.c
index 60f01063b..a88c1c30b 100644
--- a/overview/overview/overviewprefspanel.c
+++ b/overview/overview/overviewprefspanel.c
@@ -192,18 +192,31 @@ overview_prefs_panel_load_prefs (OverviewPrefsPanel *self)
   g_signal_emit_by_name (self, "prefs-loaded", self->prefs);
 }
 
+static gchar *
+get_data_dir_path (const gchar *filename)
+{
+    gchar *prefix = NULL;
+    gchar *path;
+
+#ifdef G_OS_WIN32
+    prefix = g_win32_get_package_installation_directory_of_module (NULL);
+#elif defined(__APPLE__)
+    if (g_getenv ("GEANY_PLUGINS_SHARE_PATH"))
+        return g_build_filename (g_getenv ("GEANY_PLUGINS_SHARE_PATH"), 
+                                 PLUGIN, filename, NULL);
+#endif
+    path = g_build_filename (prefix ? prefix : "", PLUGINDATADIR, filename, NULL);
+    g_free (prefix);
+    return path;
+}
+
 static void
 overview_prefs_panel_init (OverviewPrefsPanel *self)
 {
   GtkBuilder *builder;
   GError     *error = NULL;
   GtkWidget  *overlay_frame;
-#ifdef G_OS_WIN32
-  gchar      *prefix = g_win32_get_package_installation_directory_of_module (NULL);
-#else
-  gchar      *prefix = NULL;
-#endif
-  gchar      *ui_file_path = g_build_filename (prefix ? prefix : "", PLUGINDATADIR, "prefs.ui", NULL);
+  gchar      *ui_file_path = get_data_dir_path ("prefs.ui");
 
   builder = gtk_builder_new ();
   if (! gtk_builder_add_from_file (builder, ui_file_path, &error))
@@ -215,7 +228,6 @@ overview_prefs_panel_init (OverviewPrefsPanel *self)
     }
 
   g_free (ui_file_path);
-  g_free (prefix);
 
   self->prefs_table    = builder_get_widget (builder, "prefs-table");
   self->width_spin     = builder_get_widget (builder, "width-spin");
diff --git a/pohelper/src/gph-plugin.c b/pohelper/src/gph-plugin.c
index 4f4c495c2..48675b817 100644
--- a/pohelper/src/gph-plugin.c
+++ b/pohelper/src/gph-plugin.c
@@ -1360,16 +1360,18 @@ on_color_button_color_notify (GtkWidget  *widget,
 static gchar *
 get_data_dir_path (const gchar *filename)
 {
-#ifdef G_OS_WIN32
-  gchar *prefix = g_win32_get_package_installation_directory_of_module (NULL);
-#else
   gchar *prefix = NULL;
+  gchar *path;
+
+#ifdef G_OS_WIN32
+  prefix = g_win32_get_package_installation_directory_of_module (NULL);
+#elif defined(__APPLE__)
+  if (g_getenv ("GEANY_PLUGINS_SHARE_PATH"))
+    return g_build_filename( g_getenv ("GEANY_PLUGINS_SHARE_PATH"), 
+                             PLUGIN, filename, NULL);
 #endif
-  gchar *path   = g_build_filename (prefix ? prefix : "", PLUGINDATADIR,
-                                    filename, NULL);
-  
+  path = g_build_filename (prefix ? prefix : "", PLUGINDATADIR, filename, NULL);
   g_free (prefix);
-  
   return path;
 }
 
diff --git a/scope/src/scope.c b/scope/src/scope.c
index 02a859647..d61d832a4 100644
--- a/scope/src/scope.c
+++ b/scope/src/scope.c
@@ -524,10 +524,27 @@ void configure_panel(void)
 	gtk_notebook_set_tab_pos(GTK_NOTEBOOK(debug_panel), pref_panel_tab_pos);
 }
 
+static gchar *get_data_dir_path(const gchar *filename)
+{
+	gchar *prefix = NULL;
+	gchar *path;
+
+#ifdef G_OS_WIN32
+	prefix = g_win32_get_package_installation_directory_of_module(NULL);
+#elif defined(__APPLE__)
+	if (g_getenv("GEANY_PLUGINS_SHARE_PATH"))
+		return g_build_filename(g_getenv("GEANY_PLUGINS_SHARE_PATH"), 
+								PLUGIN, filename, NULL);
+#endif
+	path = g_build_filename(prefix ? prefix : "", PLUGINDATADIR, filename, NULL);
+	g_free(prefix);
+	return path;
+}
+
 void plugin_init(G_GNUC_UNUSED GeanyData *gdata)
 {
 	GeanyKeyGroup *scope_key_group;
-	char *gladefile = g_build_filename(PLUGINDATADIR, "scope.glade", NULL);
+	char *gladefile = get_data_dir_path("scope.glade");
 	GError *gerror = NULL;
 	GtkWidget *menubar1 = ui_lookup_widget(geany->main_widgets->window, "menubar1");
 	guint item;