diff --git a/src/libmain/Makefile.am b/src/libmain/Makefile.am
index 7df4f4b05..e5d199e2c 100644
--- a/src/libmain/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/libmain/Makefile.am
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ AM_CXXFLAGS = \
  -DNIX_LOG_DIR=\"$(localstatedir)/log/nix\" \
  -DNIX_CONF_DIR=\"$(sysconfdir)/nix\" \
  -DNIX_LIBEXEC_DIR=\"$(libexecdir)\" \
+ -DNIX_BIN_DIR=\"$(bindir)\" \
  -DNIX_VERSION=\"$(VERSION)\" \
  -I$(srcdir)/.. ${aterm_include} -I$(srcdir)/../libutil \
  -I$(srcdir)/../libstore
diff --git a/src/libmain/shared.cc b/src/libmain/shared.cc
index 68016b0d7..e6713e9ab 100644
--- a/src/libmain/shared.cc
+++ b/src/libmain/shared.cc
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ static void initAndRun(int argc, char * * argv)
     nixDBPath = getEnv("NIX_DB_DIR", nixStateDir + "/db");
     nixConfDir = canonPath(getEnv("NIX_CONF_DIR", NIX_CONF_DIR));
     nixLibexecDir = canonPath(getEnv("NIX_LIBEXEC_DIR", NIX_LIBEXEC_DIR));
+    nixBinDir = canonPath(getEnv("NIX_BIN_DIR", NIX_BIN_DIR));
 
     /* Get some settings from the configuration file. */
     thisSystem = querySetting("system", SYSTEM);
diff --git a/src/libstore/globals.cc b/src/libstore/globals.cc
index 466d0e0b2..e8c033db2 100644
--- a/src/libstore/globals.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/globals.cc
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ string nixStateDir = "/UNINIT";
 string nixDBPath = "/UNINIT";
 string nixConfDir = "/UNINIT";
 string nixLibexecDir = "/UNINIT";
+string nixBinDir = "/UNINIT";
 
 bool keepFailed = false;
 bool keepGoing = false;
diff --git a/src/libstore/globals.hh b/src/libstore/globals.hh
index b93f5d62c..fbb9e19d6 100644
--- a/src/libstore/globals.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/globals.hh
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ extern string nixConfDir;
    stored. */
 extern string nixLibexecDir;
 
+/* nixBinDir is the directory where the main programs are stored. */
+extern string nixBinDir;
+
 
 /* Misc. global flags. */
 
diff --git a/src/libstore/remote-store.cc b/src/libstore/remote-store.cc
index 0ed96bd23..d8b629af6 100644
--- a/src/libstore/remote-store.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/remote-store.cc
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "remote-store.hh"
 #include "worker-protocol.hh"
 #include "archive.hh"
+#include "globals.hh"
 
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
@@ -27,7 +28,9 @@ RemoteStore::RemoteStore()
 
     
     /* Start the worker. */
-    string worker = "nix-worker";
+    Path worker = getEnv("NIX_WORKER");
+    if (worker == "")
+        worker = nixBinDir + "/nix-worker";
 
     child = fork();
     
diff --git a/src/nix-worker/Makefile.am b/src/nix-worker/Makefile.am
index b499d0d81..1be7e3d54 100644
--- a/src/nix-worker/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/nix-worker/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-libexec_PROGRAMS = nix-worker
+bin_PROGRAMS = nix-worker
 
 nix_worker_SOURCES = main.cc help.txt
 nix_worker_LDADD = ../libmain/libmain.la ../libstore/libstore.la ../libutil/libutil.la \