diff --git a/main/Build.scala b/main/Build.scala
index d0448136c..d985a70f7 100644
--- a/main/Build.scala
+++ b/main/Build.scala
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ package sbt
 	import complete.DefaultParsers.validID
 	import Compiler.Compilers
 	import Project.{ScopedKey, Setting}
-	import Keys.{globalBaseDirectory, Streams}
+	import Keys.{globalBaseDirectory, globalPluginsDirectory, globalSettingsDirectory, stagingDirectory, Streams}
 	import Scope.GlobalScope
 	import scala.annotation.tailrec
 
@@ -267,15 +267,28 @@ object BuildPaths
 {
 	import Path._
 
-	def getGlobalBase(state: State): File  =  state get globalBaseDirectory orElse systemGlobalBase getOrElse defaultGlobalBase
-	def systemGlobalBase: Option[File] = Option(System.getProperty(GlobalBaseProperty)) flatMap { path =>
+	def getGlobalBase(state: State): File =
+		getFileSetting(globalBaseDirectory, GlobalBaseProperty, defaultGlobalBase)(state)
+
+	def getStagingDirectory(state: State, globalBase: File): File =
+		 getFileSetting(stagingDirectory, StagingProperty, defaultStaging(globalBase))(state)
+
+	def getGlobalPluginsDirectory(state: State, globalBase: File): File =
+		 getFileSetting(globalPluginsDirectory, GlobalPluginsProperty, defaultGlobalPlugins(globalBase))(state)
+
+	def getGlobalSettingsDirectory(state: State, globalBase: File): File =
+		 getFileSetting(globalSettingsDirectory, GlobalSettingsProperty, globalBase)(state)
+
+	def getFileSetting(stateKey: AttributeKey[File], property: String, default: File)(state: State): File =
+		state get stateKey orElse getFileProperty(property) getOrElse default
+
+	def getFileProperty(name: String): Option[File] = Option(System.getProperty(name)) flatMap { path =>
 		if(path.isEmpty) None else Some(new File(path))
 	}
 		
 	def defaultGlobalBase = Path.userHome / ConfigDirectoryName
-	def defaultStaging(globalBase: File) = globalBase / "staging"
-	def defaultGlobalPlugins(globalBase: File) = globalBase / PluginsDirectoryName
-	def defaultGlobalSettings(globalBase: File) = configurationSources(globalBase)
+	private[this] def defaultStaging(globalBase: File) = globalBase / "staging"
+	private[this] def defaultGlobalPlugins(globalBase: File) = globalBase / PluginsDirectoryName
 	
 	def definitionSources(base: File): Seq[File] = (base * "*.scala").get
 	def configurationSources(base: File): Seq[File] = (base * (GlobFilter("*.sbt") - ".sbt")).get
@@ -303,6 +316,9 @@ object BuildPaths
 	final val DefaultTargetName = "target"
 	final val ConfigDirectoryName = ".sbt"
 	final val GlobalBaseProperty = "sbt.global.base"
+	final val StagingProperty = "sbt.global.staging"
+	final val GlobalPluginsProperty = "sbt.global.plugins"
+	final val GlobalSettingsProperty = "sbt.global.settings"
 
 	def crossPath(base: File, instance: ScalaInstance): File = base / ("scala_" + instance.version)
 }
diff --git a/main/Keys.scala b/main/Keys.scala
index cd2ba855b..c3e767ab9 100644
--- a/main/Keys.scala
+++ b/main/Keys.scala
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ object Keys
 	// Path Keys
 	val baseDirectory = SettingKey[File]("base-directory", "The base directory.  Depending on the scope, this is the base directory for the build, project, configuration, or task.")
 	val globalBaseDirectory = AttributeKey[File]("global-base-directory", "The base directory for global sbt configuration and staging.")
+	val globalPluginsDirectory = AttributeKey[File]("global-plugins-directory", "The base directory for global sbt plugins.")
+	val globalSettingsDirectory = AttributeKey[File]("global-settings-directory", "The base directory for global sbt settings.")
+	val stagingDirectory = AttributeKey[File]("staging-directory", "The directory for staging remote projects.")
 	val target = SettingKey[File]("target", "Main directory for files generated by the build.")
 	val crossTarget = SettingKey[File]("cross-target", "Main directory for files generated by the build that are cross-built.")
 
diff --git a/main/Load.scala b/main/Load.scala
index ef3c3b73d..4a7d7c989 100644
--- a/main/Load.scala
+++ b/main/Load.scala
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ object Load
 	// note that there is State passed in but not pulled out
 	def defaultLoad(state: State, baseDirectory: File, log: Logger): (() => Eval, BuildStructure) =
 	{
-		val globalBase = BuildPaths.getGlobalBase(state)
+		val globalBase = getGlobalBase(state)
 		val base = baseDirectory.getCanonicalFile
 		val definesClass = FileValueCache(Locate.definesClass _)
 		val rawConfig = defaultPreGlobal(state, base, definesClass.get, globalBase, log)
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ object Load
 	{
 		val provider = state.configuration.provider
 		val scalaProvider = provider.scalaProvider
-		val stagingDirectory = defaultStaging(globalBase).getCanonicalFile
+		val stagingDirectory = getStagingDirectory(state, globalBase).getCanonicalFile
 		val loader = getClass.getClassLoader
 		val classpath = Attributed.blankSeq(provider.mainClasspath ++ scalaProvider.jars)
 		val compilers = Compiler.compilers(ClasspathOptions.boot)(state.configuration, log)
@@ -56,8 +56,10 @@ object Load
 		EvaluateTask.injectSettings
 	def defaultWithGlobal(state: State, base: File, rawConfig: LoadBuildConfiguration, globalBase: File, log: Logger): LoadBuildConfiguration =
 	{
-		val withGlobal = loadGlobal(state, base, defaultGlobalPlugins(globalBase), rawConfig)
-		loadGlobalSettings(base, globalBase, defaultGlobalSettings(globalBase), withGlobal)
+		val globalPluginsDir = getGlobalPluginsDirectory(state, globalBase)
+		val withGlobal = loadGlobal(state, base, globalPluginsDir, rawConfig)
+		val globalSettings = configurationSources(getGlobalSettingsDirectory(state, globalBase))
+		loadGlobalSettings(base, globalBase, globalSettings, withGlobal)
 	}
 
 	def loadGlobalSettings(base: File, globalBase: File, files: Seq[File], config: LoadBuildConfiguration): LoadBuildConfiguration =