diff --git a/src/nautilus-module.c b/src/nautilus-module.c
index cd889ff18..e2cd6468e 100644
--- a/src/nautilus-module.c
+++ b/src/nautilus-module.c
@@ -267,6 +267,7 @@ void
 nautilus_module_setup (void)
 {
     static gboolean initialized = FALSE;
+    const gchar* extensiondir = NULL;
     const gchar *disable_plugins;
 
     disable_plugins = g_getenv ("NAUTILUS_DISABLE_PLUGINS");
@@ -280,7 +281,12 @@ nautilus_module_setup (void)
     {
         initialized = TRUE;
 
-        load_module_dir (NAUTILUS_EXTENSIONDIR);
+        extensiondir = g_getenv ("NAUTILUS_4_EXTENSION_DIR");
+        if (extensiondir == NULL) {
+            extensiondir = NAUTILUS_EXTENSIONDIR;
+        }
+
+        load_module_dir (extensiondir);
     }