--- ./src/system.c.orig	2008-12-15 06:08:32.000000000 -0700
+++ ./src/system.c	2011-12-30 16:42:48.444607336 -0700
@@ -2042,6 +2042,7 @@ void InitSystem (
    /* Char *              ptr;  */     /* pointer to the pre'malloc'ated  */
    /* Char *              ptr1; */     /* more pre'malloc'ated  */
     Char *              *ptrlist;
+    Char *              envvar;
     UInt                i;             /* loop variable                   */
     Int res;                       /* return from option processing function */
 #if SYS_MAC_MWC
@@ -2299,6 +2300,16 @@ void InitSystem (
 
 #endif
 
+    /* process environment variables */
+    envvar = getenv("GAP_DIR");
+    if (envvar == NULL)
+        envvar = "/usr/share/gap";
+    setGapRootPath(&envvar, NULL);
+    envvar = getenv("GAP_MEM");
+    if (envvar == NULL)
+        envvar = "32m";
+    storeMemory2(&envvar, &SyStorMin);
+
     /* scan the command line for options                                   */
     while ( argc > 1 && argv[1][0] == '-' ) {