diff --git a/Compiler/src/Compiler.jl b/Compiler/src/Compiler.jl
index 4104b71093f4d..b648fd3f295eb 100644
--- a/Compiler/src/Compiler.jl
+++ b/Compiler/src/Compiler.jl
@@ -87,14 +87,14 @@ eval(m, x) = Core.eval(m, x)
 function include(x::String)
     if !isdefined(Base, :end_base_include)
         # During bootstrap, all includes are relative to `base/`
-        x = Base.strcat(Base.strcat(Base.BUILDROOT, "../usr/share/julia/Compiler/src/"), x)
+        x = Base.strcat(Base.strcat(Base.DATAROOT, "julia/Compiler/src/"), x)
     end
     Base.include(Compiler, x)
 end
 
 function include(mod::Module, x::String)
     if !isdefined(Base, :end_base_include)
-        x = Base.strcat(Base.strcat(Base.BUILDROOT, "../usr/share/julia/Compiler/src/"), x)
+        x = Base.strcat(Base.strcat(Base.DATAROOT, "julia/Compiler/src/"), x)
     end
     Base.include(mod, x)
 end
diff --git a/base/Base_compiler.jl b/base/Base_compiler.jl
index b2633c25eef3f..14edf3e93aad6 100644
--- a/base/Base_compiler.jl
+++ b/base/Base_compiler.jl
@@ -266,21 +266,25 @@ function strcat(x::String, y::String)
     return out
 end
 
-global BUILDROOT::String = ""
+BUILDROOT::String = ""
+DATAROOT::String = ""
 
 baremodule BuildSettings end
 
 function process_sysimg_args!()
-    let i = 1
-        global BUILDROOT
+    let i = 2 # skip file name
         while i <= length(Core.ARGS)
+            Core.println(Core.ARGS[i])
             if Core.ARGS[i] == "--buildsettings"
                 include(BuildSettings, ARGS[i+1])
-                i += 1
+            elseif Core.ARGS[i] == "--buildroot"
+                global BUILDROOT = Core.ARGS[i+1]
+            elseif Core.ARGS[i] == "--dataroot"
+                global DATAROOT = Core.ARGS[i+1]
             else
-                BUILDROOT = Core.ARGS[i]
+                error(strcat("invalid sysimage argument: ", Core.ARGS[i]))
             end
-            i += 1
+            i += 2
         end
     end
 end
@@ -288,7 +292,8 @@ process_sysimg_args!()
 
 function isready end
 
-include(strcat(BUILDROOT, "../usr/share/julia/Compiler/src/Compiler.jl"))
+include(strcat(DATAROOT, "julia/Compiler/src/Compiler.jl"))
+
 
 const _return_type = Compiler.return_type
 
diff --git a/sysimage.mk b/sysimage.mk
index ceed9657dc807..5371fbd975025 100644
--- a/sysimage.mk
+++ b/sysimage.mk
@@ -61,18 +61,19 @@ BASE_SRCS := $(sort $(shell find $(JULIAHOME)/base -name \*.jl -and -not -name s
                     $(shell find $(BUILDROOT)/base -name \*.jl  -and -not -name sysimg.jl))
 STDLIB_SRCS := $(JULIAHOME)/base/sysimg.jl $(SYSIMG_STDLIBS_SRCS)
 RELBUILDROOT := $(call rel_path,$(JULIAHOME)/base,$(BUILDROOT)/base)/ # <-- make sure this always has a trailing slash
+RELDATADIR := $(call rel_path,$(JULIAHOME)/base,$(build_datarootdir))/ # <-- make sure this always has a trailing slash
 
 $(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler.ji: $(COMPILER_SRCS)
 	@$(call PRINT_JULIA, cd $(JULIAHOME)/base && \
 	$(call spawn,$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)) -C "$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" $(HEAPLIM) --output-ji $(call cygpath_w,$@).tmp \
-		--startup-file=no --warn-overwrite=yes -g$(BOOTSTRAP_DEBUG_LEVEL) -O1 Base_compiler.jl $(RELBUILDROOT))
+		--startup-file=no --warn-overwrite=yes -g$(BOOTSTRAP_DEBUG_LEVEL) -O1 Base_compiler.jl --buildroot $(RELBUILDROOT) --dataroot $(RELDATADIR))
 	@mv $@.tmp $@
 
 $(build_private_libdir)/sys.ji: $(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler.ji $(JULIAHOME)/VERSION $(BASE_SRCS) $(STDLIB_SRCS)
 	@$(call PRINT_JULIA, cd $(JULIAHOME)/base && \
 	if ! JULIA_BINDIR=$(call cygpath_w,$(build_bindir)) WINEPATH="$(call cygpath_w,$(build_bindir));$$WINEPATH" \
 			$(call spawn, $(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)) -g1 -O1 -C "$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" $(HEAPLIM) --output-ji $(call cygpath_w,$@).tmp $(JULIA_SYSIMG_BUILD_FLAGS) \
-			--startup-file=no --warn-overwrite=yes --sysimage $(call cygpath_w,$<) sysimg.jl $(RELBUILDROOT); then \
+			--startup-file=no --warn-overwrite=yes --sysimage $(call cygpath_w,$<) sysimg.jl --buildroot $(RELBUILDROOT) --dataroot $(RELDATADIR); then \
 		echo '*** This error might be fixed by running `make clean`. If the error persists$(COMMA) try `make cleanall`. ***'; \
 		false; \
 	fi )