diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index df40e62..1fbc393 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@ For reproducibility reasons, Nix build scripts cannot hit the internet, but the
 auto-download feature does exactly that. To successfully build under Nix the
 user must provide the tarball locally and specify its location via the
 `BITCOIND_TARBALL_FILE` env var.
+
+Another option is to specify the `BITCOIND_SKIP_DOWNLOAD` env var and provide the
+executable via the `PATH`.
+
 Alternatively, use the dep without auto-download feature.
 
 ## Used by
diff --git a/build.rs b/build.rs
index bc3992a..7db3cb5 100644
--- a/build.rs
+++ b/build.rs
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ mod download {
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn start() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        if std::env::var_os("BITCOIND_SKIP_DOWNLOAD").is_some() {
+            return Ok(());
+        }
         let download_filename = download_filename();
         let expected_hash = get_expected_sha256(&download_filename)?;
         let out_dir = std::env::var_os("OUT_DIR").unwrap();
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index f30f929..fe075cb 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ pub enum Error {
     /// Returned when -rpcuser and/or -rpcpassword is used in `Conf` args
     /// It will soon be deprecated, please use -rpcauth instead
     RpcUserAndPasswordUsed,
+    /// Returned when expecting an auto-downloaded executable but `BITCOIND_SKIP_DOWNLOAD` env var is set
+    SkipDownload,
 }
 
 impl fmt::Debug for Error {
@@ -135,7 +137,8 @@ impl fmt::Debug for Error {
             Error::NoBitcoindExecutableFound =>  write!(f, "`bitcoind` executable is required, provide it with one of the following: set env var `BITCOIND_EXE` or use a feature like \"22_1\" or have `bitcoind` executable in the `PATH`"),
             Error::EarlyExit(e) => write!(f, "The bitcoind process terminated early with exit code {}", e),
             Error::BothDirsSpecified => write!(f, "tempdir and staticdir cannot be enabled at same time in configuration options"),
-            Error::RpcUserAndPasswordUsed => write!(f, "`-rpcuser` and `-rpcpassword` cannot be used, it will be deprecated soon and it's recommended to use `-rpcauth` instead which works alongside with the default cookie authentication")
+            Error::RpcUserAndPasswordUsed => write!(f, "`-rpcuser` and `-rpcpassword` cannot be used, it will be deprecated soon and it's recommended to use `-rpcauth` instead which works alongside with the default cookie authentication"),
+            Error::SkipDownload => write!(f, "expecting an auto-downloaded executable but `BITCOIND_SKIP_DOWNLOAD` env var is set"),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -496,6 +499,10 @@ pub fn downloaded_exe_path() -> anyhow::Result<String> {
 /// Provide the bitcoind executable path if a version feature has been specified
 #[cfg(feature = "download")]
 pub fn downloaded_exe_path() -> anyhow::Result<String> {
+    if std::env::var_os("BITCOIND_SKIP_DOWNLOAD").is_some() {
+        return Err(Error::SkipDownload.into());
+    }
+
     let mut path: PathBuf = env!("OUT_DIR").into();
     path.push("bitcoin");
     path.push(format!("bitcoin-{}", versions::VERSION));