diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 21951fe6..11118492 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -236,6 +236,17 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_W32_QT, test "$build_w32_qt" = yes)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_PTHREAD, test "$have_pthread" = "yes")
 
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([fixed-path],
+              AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-fixed-path=PATH],
+                             [locate binaries only via this PATH]),
+              [fixed_search_path="$enableval"],
+              [fixed_search_path=""])
+if test x$fixed_search_path != x ; then
+  AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(FIXED_SEARCH_PATH, "$fixed_search_path",
+                    [Locate binaries only via this PATH])
+fi
+
+
 #
 # Provide information about the build.
 #
diff --git a/src/posix-util.c b/src/posix-util.c
index 1b92ec17..e78cd771 100644
--- a/src/posix-util.c
+++ b/src/posix-util.c
@@ -78,9 +78,13 @@ walk_path (const char *pgm)
   const char *orig_path, *path, *s;
   char *fname, *p;
 
+#ifdef FIXED_SEARCH_PATH
+  orig_path = FIXED_SEARCH_PATH;
+#else
   orig_path = getenv ("PATH");
   if (!orig_path)
-    orig_path = "/bin:/usr/bin:.";
+    orig_path = "/bin:/usr/bin";
+#endif
 
   fname = malloc (strlen (orig_path) + 1 + strlen (pgm) + 1);
   if (!fname)