diff --git a/compiler/nimconf.nim b/compiler/nimconf.nim
index c0aeab7e3..491d23d88 100644
--- a/compiler/nimconf.nim
+++ b/compiler/nimconf.nim
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ proc getSystemConfigPath*(conf: ConfigRef; filename: RelativeFile): AbsoluteFile
   # the UNIX way)
   let p = getPrefixDir(conf)
   result = p / RelativeDir"config" / filename
+  if not fileExists(result): result = p / RelativeDir"etc/nim" / filename
   when defined(unix):
     if not fileExists(result): result = p / RelativeDir"etc/nim" / filename
     if not fileExists(result): result = AbsoluteDir"/etc/nim" / filename
