diff --git a/libs/pbd/SConscript b/libs/pbd/SConscript
index bb1f56e6c7..55c8018c4b 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/SConscript
+++ b/libs/pbd/SConscript
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ enumwriter.cc
 dmalloc.cc
 error.cc
 filesystem.cc
+filesystem_paths.cc
 file_utils.cc
 fpu.cc
 id.cc
diff --git a/libs/pbd/filesystem_paths.cc b/libs/pbd/filesystem_paths.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6846cb5aa5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/pbd/filesystem_paths.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/*
+	Copyright (C) 2007 Tim Mayberry
+
+	This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+	it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+	the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+	(at your option) any later version.
+
+	This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+	but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+	MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+	GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+	You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+	along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+	Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
+*/
+
+#include <glib.h>
+
+#include <pbd/filesystem_paths.h>
+
+namespace PBD {
+
+vector<sys::path>
+system_data_directories ()
+{
+	vector<sys::path> tmp;
+	const char * const * dirs;
+
+	dirs = g_get_system_data_dirs ();
+
+	if (dirs == NULL) return tmp;
+
+	for (int i = 0; dirs[i] != NULL; ++i)
+	{
+		tmp.push_back(dirs[i]);
+	}
+
+	return tmp;
+}
+
+vector<sys::path>
+system_config_directories ()
+{
+	vector<sys::path> tmp;
+	const char * const * dirs;
+
+	dirs = g_get_system_config_dirs ();
+
+	if (dirs == NULL) return tmp;
+
+	for (int i = 0; dirs[i] != NULL; ++i)
+	{
+		tmp.push_back(dirs[i]);
+	}
+
+	return tmp;
+}
+
+} // namespace PBD
diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem_paths.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem_paths.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4e09c6ec4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem_paths.h
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+/*
+	Copyright (C) 2007 Tim Mayberry 
+
+	This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+	it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+	the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+	(at your option) any later version.
+
+	This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+	but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+	MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+	GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+	You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+	along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+	Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
+*/
+
+#ifndef PBD_FILESYSTEM_PATHS_INCLUDED
+#define PBD_FILESYSTEM_PATHS_INCLUDED
+
+#include <vector>
+
+#include <pbd/filesystem.h>
+
+namespace PBD {
+
+	using std::vector;
+
+	vector<sys::path> system_data_directories ();
+
+	vector<sys::path> system_config_directories ();
+
+} // namespace PBD
+
+#endif