diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 33a397a..d5c6632 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -118,6 +118,15 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE([cats],
 		AC_DEFINE([MAN_CATS], [1], [Allow man to create/update cat files.])
 	 fi],
 	[AC_DEFINE([MAN_CATS], [1], [Allow man to create/update cat files.])])
+AC_ARG_WITH([override-dir],
+[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-override-dir=OVERRIDE], [use OVERRIDE as relative override dir inside the man path - the first directory to be searched when looking for man pages])],
+	[if test "$withval" = "yes" || test "$withval" = "no"
+	 then
+	 	AC_MSG_ERROR([--with-override-dir requires an argument])
+	 else
+	 	override_dir=$withval
+	 fi],
+	[: ${override_dir=""}])
 
 # Finish the argument parsing.
 AC_SUBST([man_owner])dnl
@@ -126,6 +135,7 @@ AC_SUBST([config_file])dnl
 AC_SUBST([config_file_basename])dnl
 AC_SUBST([config_file_dirname])dnl
 AC_SUBST([sections])dnl
+AC_SUBST([override_dir])dnl
 
 # Check $PATH for the following programs and append suitable options.
 AC_PROG_CC
diff --git a/include/manconfig.h.in b/include/manconfig.h.in
index f485312..9981443 100644
--- a/include/manconfig.h.in
+++ b/include/manconfig.h.in
@@ -166,6 +166,10 @@
 #  define PIC 		"@pic@"
 #endif
 
+#ifndef OVERRIDE_DIR
+#  define OVERRIDE_DIR	"@override_dir@"
+#endif
+
 /*------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 /* The following definitions are best left alone by the uninitiated */
 /*------------------------------------------------------------------*/
diff --git a/src/manp.c b/src/manp.c
index e73e838..3223b39 100644
--- a/src/manp.c
+++ b/src/manp.c
@@ -931,6 +931,24 @@ static char *def_path (int flag)
 }
 
 /*
+ * If specified with configure, append OVERRIDE_DIR to dir param and add it
+ * to the lp list.
+ */
+static void insert_override_dir (char **lp, const char *dir)
+{
+	char *override_dir = NULL;
+
+	if (!strlen (OVERRIDE_DIR)) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if ((override_dir = xasprintf ("%s/%s", dir, OVERRIDE_DIR))) {
+		add_dir_to_list (lp, override_dir);
+		free (override_dir);
+	}
+}
+
+/*
  * For each directory in the user's path, see if it is one of the
  * directories listed in the man_db.config file.  If so, and it is
  * not already in the manpath, add it.  If the directory is not listed
@@ -977,6 +995,7 @@ char *get_manpath_from_path (const char *path, int mandatory)
 		if (mandir_list) {
 			debug ("is in the config file\n");
 			while (mandir_list) {
+				insert_override_dir(tmplist, mandir_list->cont);
 				add_dir_to_list (tmplist, mandir_list->cont);
 				mandir_list = iterate_over_list
 					(mandir_list, p, MANPATH_MAP);
@@ -994,7 +1013,8 @@ char *get_manpath_from_path (const char *path, int mandatory)
 				debug ("but does have a ../man, man, "
 				       "../share/man, or share/man "
 				       "subdirectory\n");
-	
+
+				insert_override_dir(tmplist, t);
 				add_dir_to_list (tmplist, t);
 				free (t);
 		 	} else
@@ -1010,8 +1030,10 @@ char *get_manpath_from_path (const char *path, int mandatory)
 		debug ("\nadding mandatory man directories\n\n");
 
 		for (list = namestore; list; list = list->next)
-			if (list->flag == MANDATORY) 
+			if (list->flag == MANDATORY) {
+				insert_override_dir(tmplist, list->key);
 				add_dir_to_list (tmplist, list->key);
+			}
 	}
 
 	len = 0;
diff --git a/src/tests/Makefile.am b/src/tests/Makefile.am
index fa1c2e9..df4afc3 100644
--- a/src/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -22,12 +22,13 @@ TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = PATH=..:$$PATH; export PATH; \
 		    DBTYPE=$(DBTYPE); export DBTYPE; \
 		    MANDIR_LAYOUT=$(MANDIR_LAYOUT); export MANDIR_LAYOUT; \
 		    top_builddir=$(top_builddir); export top_builddir; \
-		    @LOCALCHARSET_TESTS_ENVIRONMENT@; export CHARSETALIASDIR;
+		    @LOCALCHARSET_TESTS_ENVIRONMENT@; export CHARSETALIASDIR; \
+		    OVERRIDE_DIR="@override_dir@"; export OVERRIDE_DIR;
 # Each test must use the configure-detected shell, not necessarily /bin/sh.
 AM_LOG_FLAGS = $(SHELL)
 ALL_TESTS = \
 	lexgrog-1 \
-	man-1 man-2 man-3 man-4 man-5 man-6 man-7 man-8 \
+	man-1 man-2 man-3 man-4 man-5 man-6 man-7 man-8 man-9 \
 	manconv-1 manconv-2 manconv-3 \
 	mandb-1 mandb-2 mandb-3 mandb-4 mandb-5 mandb-6 \
 	whatis-1 \
diff --git a/src/tests/man-9 b/src/tests/man-9
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..a82bfa1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/man-9
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+#! /bin/sh
+
+# Testing override dir. This test covers both use cases - when override dir is
+# enabled and when it's not.
+#
+
+: ${srcdir=.}
+. "$srcdir/testlib.sh"
+
+: ${MAN=man}
+
+if [ -n "$OVERRIDE_DIR" ]; then
+	OVERRIDE=$OVERRIDE_DIR
+else
+	OVERRIDE="override"
+fi
+
+init
+fake_config /usr/share/man
+mkdir -p "${tmpdir}/usr/share/man/${OVERRIDE}/man1"
+
+
+write_page abc 1 "${tmpdir}/usr/share/man/man1/abc.1" \
+	UTF-8 '' '' 'abc \- top-level test page'
+write_page abc 1 "${tmpdir}/usr/share/man/${OVERRIDE}/man1/abc.1" \
+	UTF-8 '' '' 'abc \- modified test page'
+
+if [ -n "$OVERRIDE_DIR" ]; then
+cat >"$tmpdir/1.exp" <<EOF
+$(pwd -P)/${tmpdir}/usr/share/man/${OVERRIDE}/man1/abc.1
+$(pwd -P)/${tmpdir}/usr/share/man/man1/abc.1
+EOF
+else
+cat >"$tmpdir/1.exp" <<EOF
+$(pwd -P)/${tmpdir}/usr/share/man/man1/abc.1
+EOF
+fi
+
+
+run $MAN -C "$tmpdir/manpath.config" -aw abc >"$tmpdir/1.out"
+expect_pass 'testing override dir' \
+	'diff -u "$tmpdir/1.exp" "$tmpdir/1.out"'
+
+finish
+