diff --git a/src/helma/framework/core/Application.java b/src/helma/framework/core/Application.java
index 23fee26d..8c961338 100644
--- a/src/helma/framework/core/Application.java
+++ b/src/helma/framework/core/Application.java
@@ -199,13 +199,11 @@ public final class Application implements IPathElement, Runnable {
             // if appDir and dbDir weren't explicitely passed, use the
             // standard subdirectories of the Hop home directory
             if (appDir == null) {
-                appDir = new File(home, "apps");
-                appDir = new File(appDir, name);
+                appDir = new File(server.getAppsHome(), name);
             }
 
             if (dbDir == null) {
-                dbDir = new File(home, "db");
-                dbDir = new File(dbDir, name);
+                dbDir = new File(server.getDbHome(), name);
             }
 
             // get system-wide properties
diff --git a/src/helma/main/Server.java b/src/helma/main/Server.java
index ec062ca9..ce612165 100644
--- a/src/helma/main/Server.java
+++ b/src/helma/main/Server.java
@@ -673,15 +673,30 @@ public class Server implements IPathElement, Runnable {
      * @return ...
      */
     public File getAppsHome() {
-        String appHome = sysProps.getProperty("appHome");
+        String appHome = sysProps.getProperty("appHome", "");
 
-        if ((appHome != null) && !"".equals(appHome.trim())) {
+        if (appHome.trim().length() != 0) {
             return new File(appHome);
         } else {
             return new File(hopHome, "apps");
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     *
+     *
+     * @return ...
+     */
+    public File getDbHome() {
+        String dbHome = sysProps.getProperty("dbHome", "");
+
+        if (dbHome.trim().length() != 0) {
+            return new File(dbHome);
+        } else {
+            return new File(hopHome, "db");
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      *
      *