diff --git a/setup/build_environment.py b/setup/build_environment.py
index f9abaa2fa2..d56ebdcef0 100644
--- a/setup/build_environment.py
+++ b/setup/build_environment.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from distutils.spawn import find_executable
 
 # QT5XX: Remove this import once migration is complete, ensuring that sipconfig
 # comes from PyQt5
-sys.path.insert(0, '/opt/pyqt5/lib')
+sys.path.insert(0, os.environ.get('PYQT5_IMPORT_PATH', '/opt/pyqt5/lib'))
 
 import sipconfig
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/__init__.py b/src/calibre/__init__.py
index 32ba98e0c5..8c6b0e3ce9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/__init__.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
 import sys, os, re, time, random, __builtin__, warnings
 __builtin__.__dict__['dynamic_property'] = lambda func: func(None)
-sys.path.insert(0, '/opt/pyqt5/lib')  # QT5XX: Remove this after migration complete
+sys.path.insert(0, os.environ.get('PYQT5_IMPORT_PATH', '/opt/pyqt5/lib'))  # QT5XX: Remove this after migration complete
 from math import floor
 from functools import partial