diff --git a/PluginManager.cpp b/PluginManager.cpp
index 157b6cd5..42d9b59d 100644
--- a/PluginManager.cpp
+++ b/PluginManager.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,18 @@ void PluginManager::ScanAndLoadPlugins()
     filesystem::path plugins_dir = ResourceManager::get()->GetConfigurationDirectory() / plugins_path;
     ScanAndLoadPluginsFrom(plugins_dir, false);
 
+    /*---------------------------------------------------------*\
+    | Get the system plugins directory from the environment     |
+    |                                                           |
+    | Allow setting a system plugin directory during runtime,   |
+    | e.g. by Nixpkgs' `withPlugins` wrapper.                   |
+    \*---------------------------------------------------------*/
+    const char* system_plugins_dir = std::getenv("OPENRGB_SYSTEM_PLUGIN_DIRECTORY");
+    if(system_plugins_dir && *system_plugins_dir)
+    {
+        ScanAndLoadPluginsFrom(system_plugins_dir, true);
+    }
+
 #ifdef OPENRGB_SYSTEM_PLUGIN_DIRECTORY
     /*---------------------------------------------------------*\
     | Get the system plugins directory                          |