diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index f19b186..0365763 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ __ https://www.zap.org.au/
 Version 7.16 (not yet released)
 -------------------------------
 
+Added code to allow the ``TEXTDOMAINDIR`` environment variable to specify
+where compiled translations are located.  Updated the documentation to
+mention this new feature.
+
 Added an application metadata file that conforms to the AppStream 0.12
 specification.  Updated all translations to suit, using parts of existing
 strings.
diff --git a/doc/trader.6 b/doc/trader.6
index 66bd069..9d5ed44 100644
--- a/doc/trader.6
+++ b/doc/trader.6
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 .if \n[.g] .mso www.tmac
 .\"
 .\" *********************************************************************
-.TH TRADER 6 "12th January, 2021" "Unix-like systems"
+.TH TRADER 6 "14th January, 2021" "Unix-like systems"
 .SH NAME
 trader \- a game of interstellar trading
 .\" *********************************************************************
@@ -183,6 +183,12 @@ using \fBLC_NUMERIC\fP and monetary quantities will use
 or
 .BR setlocale (3)
 manual pages for more details on locale settings.
+.TP
+.B TEXTDOMAINDIR
+If set, Star Traders will use this path as the base with which to locate
+its message catalogs instead of the compiled-in path; the relevant
+\fItrader.mo\fP files should be located in language-code subdirectories
+(such as \fIen_AU\fP), in \fILC_MESSAGES\fP sub-subdirectories.
 .\" *********************************************************************
 .SH FILES
 .TP
diff --git a/src/utils.c b/src/utils.c
index 4e4969b..2fd36c7 100644
--- a/src/utils.c
+++ b/src/utils.c
@@ -586,6 +586,9 @@ extern int randi (int limit)
 
 extern void init_locale (void)
 {
+    const char *podir = getenv("TEXTDOMAINDIR");
+
+
     // Initialise the current locale
     if (setlocale(LC_ALL, "") == NULL) {
 	err_exit("could not set locale "
@@ -593,7 +596,9 @@ extern void init_locale (void)
     }
 
     // Use correct message catalogs for the locale
-    bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
+    bindtextdomain(
+	PACKAGE,
+	(podir != NULL && *podir != '\0') ? podir : LOCALEDIR);
     textdomain(PACKAGE);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/utils.h b/src/utils.h
index b664403..8482c90 100644
--- a/src/utils.h
+++ b/src/utils.h
@@ -235,10 +235,11 @@ extern int randi (int limit);
   Returns:    (nothing)
 
   This function initialises the locale and message catalog used by this
-  program.  The message catalog must reside in the location specified
-  during "./configure" via the "--localedir" option; this location is
-  passed to this source code file as PREFIXDIR.  This function must be
-  called before using any locale or Gettext functions.
+  program.  If the TEXTDOMAINDIR environment variable is set, the message
+  catalog must reside in that location, otherwise it must be in the
+  location specified during "./configure" via the "--localedir" option.
+  This function must be called before using any locale or Gettext
+  functions.
 */
 extern void init_locale (void);