diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f2aee20..c77ca7b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -76,6 +76,14 @@ if test x"$debug" = xyes; then
 	AC_DEFINE([DEBUG], [1], [Debug Flag])
 fi
 
+if test "x$sysconfdir" = 'x${prefix}/etc'; then
+    if test "x$prefix" = 'xNONE'; then
+        sysconfdir=$ac_default_prefix/etc
+    else
+        sysconfdir=$prefix/etc
+    fi
+fi
+AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([SYSCONFDIR], ["$sysconfdir"], [System Configuration Directory])
 
 # Checks for programs.
 AC_PROG_CC
@@ -150,7 +158,7 @@ for TMPVAR in creat creat64 fopen fopen64 freopen freopen64 open open64 rename u
 do
 	VERSIONVAR=$(grep -m1 $TMPVAR@ glibc_symbols | cut -d@ -f2)
 	FUNCVAR=$(echo $TMPVAR | tr a-z A-Z)_VERSION
-	
+
 	if test "x$VERSIONVAR" != "x" ; then
 		AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([$FUNCVAR],"$VERSIONVAR",[$TMPVAR Define for dlvsym call])
 	else
@@ -163,7 +171,7 @@ for TMPVAR in openat openat64 renameat unlinkat
 do
 	VERSIONVAR=$(grep -m1 $TMPVAR@ glibc_symbols | cut -d@ -f2)
 	FUNCVAR=$(echo $TMPVAR | tr a-z A-Z)_VERSION
-	
+
 	if test "x$VERSIONVAR" != "x" ; then
 		AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([$FUNCVAR],"$VERSIONVAR",[$TMPVAR Define for dlvsym call])
 	else
diff --git a/src/helpers.c b/src/helpers.c
index 74da8db..1d094f1 100644
--- a/src/helpers.c
+++ b/src/helpers.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <dlfcn.h>
+#include <limits.h>
 
 #include "trash.h"
 
@@ -1437,12 +1438,41 @@ void get_config_from_file(config *cfg)
 			"IGNORE_RE",
 			"PRESERVE_FILES_LARGER_THAN");
 
-	/* Did read_config_from_file() fail? If it did, we quit and leave the compile-time defaults unchanged: */
+    if (!config_values) {
+        char sysconf_path[PATH_MAX];
+        snprintf(sysconf_path, sizeof(sysconf_path), "%s/libtrash.conf", SYSCONFDIR);
+        config_values = read_config_from_file(sysconf_path, NUMBER_OF_CONFIG_OPTIONS, cfg,
+            "TRASH_CAN",
+			"IN_CASE_OF_FAILURE",
+			"SHOULD_WARN",
+			"IGNORE_HIDDEN",
+			"IGNORE_EDITOR_BACKUP",
+			"PROTECT_TRASH",
+			"GLOBAL_PROTECTION",
+			"TRASH_SYSTEM_ROOT",
+			"TEMPORARY_DIRS",
+			"USER_TEMPORARY_DIRS",
+			"UNREMOVABLE_DIRS",
+			"IGNORE_EXTENSIONS",
+			"INTERCEPT_UNLINK",
+			"INTERCEPT_RENAME",
+			"INTERCEPT_FOPEN",
+			"INTERCEPT_FREOPEN",
+			"INTERCEPT_OPEN",
+			"LIBTRASH_CONFIG_FILE_UNREMOVABLE",
+			"REMOVABLE_MEDIA_MOUNT_POINTS",
+			"IGNORE_EDITOR_TEMPORARY",
+			"EXCEPTIONS",
+			"IGNORE_RE",
+			"PRESERVE_FILES_LARGER_THAN");
+
+        /* Did read_config_from_file() fail? If it did, we quit and leave the compile-time defaults unchanged: */
 
-	if (!config_values)
-		return;
+        if (!config_values)
+            return;
+    }
 
-	/* If we managed to read the configuration file in the user's home directory,
+    /* If we managed to read the configuration file in the user's home directory,
 	 * we now proceed to set the configuration variables to the values read_config_from_file() returned to us: */
 
 	/* Configuration variables which are integers used as "flags" are set by the