diff --git a/bin/sugar-shell-service.in b/bin/sugar-shell-service.in
index e88ea65..49c2764 100644
--- a/bin/sugar-shell-service.in
+++ b/bin/sugar-shell-service.in
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@
 # Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
 
 import sys
+from os import environ
+
+if not environ.has_key('SUGAR_ACTIVITIES'):
+    environ['SUGAR_ACTIVITIES'] = '@prefix@/share/sugar/activities:' \
+                                  '@prefix@/lib64/sugar/activities:' \
+                                  '@prefix@/lib/sugar/activities'
 
 sys.path.insert(0, '@prefix@/share/sugar/service')
 
diff --git a/service/bundleregistry.py b/service/bundleregistry.py
index 5b12625..88060c3 100644
--- a/service/bundleregistry.py
+++ b/service/bundleregistry.py
@@ -26,13 +26,6 @@ from sugar import env
 
 import config
 
-# http://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-0.6.html
-def _get_data_dirs():
-    if os.environ.has_key('XDG_DATA_DIRS'):
-        return os.environ['XDG_DATA_DIRS'].split(':')
-    else:
-        return [ '/usr/local/share/', '/usr/share/' ]
-
 def _load_mime_defaults():
     defaults = {}
 
@@ -185,8 +178,8 @@ def get_registry():
 
 _bundle_registry = BundleRegistry()
 
-for data_dir in _get_data_dirs():
-    bundles_path = os.path.join(data_dir, 'activities')
-    _bundle_registry.add_search_path(bundles_path)
+if os.environ.has_key('SUGAR_ACTIVITIES'):
+    for path in os.environ['SUGAR_ACTIVITIES'].split(':'):
+        _bundle_registry.add_search_path(path)
 
 _bundle_registry.add_search_path(env.get_user_activities_path())