diff --git a/cmd/step/main.go b/cmd/step/main.go
index ed9b9cbde..5b689ceb4 100644
--- a/cmd/step/main.go
+++ b/cmd/step/main.go
@@ -62,15 +62,31 @@ func main() {
 	app.EnableBashCompletion = true
 	app.Copyright = "(c) 2018 Smallstep Labs, Inc."
 
+	// Flag of custom configuration flag
 	app.Flags = append(app.Flags, cli.StringFlag{
 		Name:  "config",
 		Usage: "path to the config file to use for CLI flags",
 	})
 
+	// Flag for printing the step path
+	app.Flags = append(app.Flags, cli.BoolFlag{
+		Name:  "steppath",
+		Usage: "print the configured step path and exit",
+	})
+
 	// All non-successful output should be written to stderr
 	app.Writer = os.Stdout
 	app.ErrWriter = os.Stderr
 
+	// Default action will print the steppath or help
+	app.Action = cli.ActionFunc(func(ctx *cli.Context) error {
+		if ctx.Bool("steppath") {
+			fmt.Println(config.StepPath())
+			return nil
+		}
+		return cli.HandleAction(usage.HelpCommandAction, ctx)
+	})
+
 	// Start the golang debug logger if environment variable is set.
 	// See https://golang.org/pkg/net/http/pprof/
 	debugProfAddr := os.Getenv("STEP_PROF_ADDR")
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index e9487d793..1d66547f3 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -37,10 +37,13 @@ func init() {
 	stepPath = os.Getenv(StepPathEnv)
 	if stepPath == "" {
 		usr, err := user.Current()
-		if err != nil || usr.HomeDir == "" {
+		if err == nil && usr.HomeDir != "" {
+			stepPath = path.Join(usr.HomeDir, ".step")
+		} else if home := os.Getenv("HOME"); home != "" {
+			stepPath = path.Join(home, ".step")
+		} else {
 			l.Fatalf("Error obtaining home directory, please define environment variable %s.", StepPathEnv)
 		}
-		stepPath = path.Join(usr.HomeDir, ".step")
 	}
 
 	// Check for presence or create it if necessary
diff --git a/usage/help.go b/usage/help.go
index 85d5bf18b..9b49fc623 100644
--- a/usage/help.go
+++ b/usage/help.go
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
+// HelpCommandAction is the action function of the overwritten help command.
+var HelpCommandAction = cli.ActionFunc(helpAction)
+
 // HelpCommand overwrites default urfvafe/cli help command to support one or
 // multiple subcommands like:
 //   step help
@@ -20,7 +23,7 @@ func HelpCommand() cli.Command {
 		Aliases:   []string{"h"},
 		Usage:     "displays help for the specified command or command group",
 		ArgsUsage: "[command]",
-		Action:    cli.ActionFunc(helpAction),
+		Action:    HelpCommandAction,
 		Flags: []cli.Flag{
 			cli.StringFlag{
 				Name:  "http",