--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -74,35 +74,46 @@ endif
 
 CC=gcc
 
+ifndef OPT_CFLAGS
 ifeq ($(ARCH),axp)
-RELEASE_CFLAGS=$(BASE_CFLAGS) -ffast-math -funroll-loops \
+OPT_CFLAGS=-ffast-math -funroll-loops \
 	-fomit-frame-pointer -fexpensive-optimizations
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(ARCH),ppc)
-RELEASE_CFLAGS=$(BASE_CFLAGS) -O2 -ffast-math -funroll-loops \
+OPT_CFLAGS=-O2 -ffast-math -funroll-loops \
 	-fomit-frame-pointer -fexpensive-optimizations
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(ARCH),sparc)
-RELEASE_CFLAGS=$(BASE_CFLAGS) -ffast-math -funroll-loops \
+OPT_CFLAGS=-ffast-math -funroll-loops \
 	-fomit-frame-pointer -fexpensive-optimizations
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(ARCH),i386)
-RELEASE_CFLAGS=$(BASE_CFLAGS) -O2 -ffast-math -funroll-loops -falign-loops=2 \
+OPT_CFLAGS=-O2 -ffast-math -funroll-loops -falign-loops=2 \
 	-falign-jumps=2 -falign-functions=2 -fno-strict-aliasing
 # compiler bugs with gcc 2.96 and 3.0.1 can cause bad builds with heavy opts.
-#RELEASE_CFLAGS=$(BASE_CFLAGS) -O6 -m486 -ffast-math -funroll-loops \
+#OPT_CFLAGS=-O6 -m486 -ffast-math -funroll-loops \
 #	-fomit-frame-pointer -fexpensive-optimizations -malign-loops=2 \
 #	-malign-jumps=2 -malign-functions=2
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(ARCH),x86_64)
 _LIB := 64
-RELEASE_CFLAGS=$(BASE_CFLAGS) -O2 -ffast-math -funroll-loops \
+OPT_CFLAGS=-O2 -ffast-math -funroll-loops \
 	-fomit-frame-pointer -fexpensive-optimizations -fno-strict-aliasing
 endif
+endif
+RELEASE_CFLAGS=$(BASE_CFLAGS) $(OPT_CFLAGS)
+
+ifeq ($(ADDCFLAGS),debug)
+CFLAGS=$(DEBUG_CFLAGS) -DLINUX_VERSION=\"$(VERSION) Debug\"
+endif
+
+ifeq ($(ADDCFLAGS),release)
+CFLAGS=$(RELEASE_CFLAGS) -DLINUX_VERSION=\"$(VERSION)\"
+endif
 
 VERSION=3.21+r0.16
 
@@ -133,6 +136,13 @@ else
 NET_UDP=net_udp
 endif
 
+ifdef DEFAULT_BASEDIR
+BASE_CFLAGS += -DDEFAULT_BASEDIR=\"$(DEFAULT_BASEDIR)\"
+endif
+ifdef DEFAULT_LIBDIR
+BASE_CFLAGS += -DDEFAULT_LIBDIR=\"$(DEFAULT_LIBDIR)\"
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(strip $(BUILD_QMAX)),YES)
 	BASE_CFLAGS+=-DQMAX
 endif
@@ -406,7 +424,7 @@
 		$(BUILD_DEBUG_DIR)/ctf \
 		$(BUILD_DEBUG_DIR)/xatrix \
 		$(BUILD_DEBUG_DIR)/rogue
-	$(MAKE) targets BUILDDIR=$(BUILD_DEBUG_DIR) CFLAGS="$(DEBUG_CFLAGS) -DLINUX_VERSION='\"$(VERSION) Debug\"'"
+	$(MAKE) targets BUILDDIR=$(BUILD_DEBUG_DIR) ADDCFLAGS=debug
 
 build_release:
 	@-mkdir -p $(BUILD_RELEASE_DIR) \
@@ -418,7 +436,7 @@
 		$(BUILD_RELEASE_DIR)/ctf \
 		$(BUILD_RELEASE_DIR)/xatrix \
 		$(BUILD_RELEASE_DIR)/rogue
-	$(MAKE) targets BUILDDIR=$(BUILD_RELEASE_DIR) CFLAGS="$(RELEASE_CFLAGS) -DLINUX_VERSION='\"$(VERSION)\"'"
+	$(MAKE) targets BUILDDIR=$(BUILD_RELEASE_DIR) ADDCFLAGS=release
 
 targets: $(TARGETS)
 
--- a/src/linux/qgl_linux.c
+++ b/src/linux/qgl_linux.c
@@ -3006,13 +3006,17 @@ qboolean QGL_Init( const char *dllname )
 //				dllname, dlerror());
 
 		// try basedir next
-		path = ri.Cvar_Get ("basedir", ".", CVAR_NOSET)->string;
+		path = ri.Cvar_Get ("basedir", DEFAULT_BASEDIR, CVAR_NOSET)->string;
 		
 		snprintf (fn, MAX_OSPATH, "%s/%s", path, dllname );
 
 		if ( ( glw_state.OpenGLLib = dlopen( fn, RTLD_LAZY ) ) == 0 ) {
-			ri.Con_Printf( PRINT_ALL, "%s\n", dlerror() );
-			return false;
+			path = ri.Cvar_Get ("libdir", DEFAULT_LIBDIR, CVAR_NOSET)->string;
+			snprintf (fn, MAX_OSPATH, "%s/%s", path, dllname );
+			if ( ( glw_state.OpenGLLib = dlopen( fn, RTLD_LAZY ) ) == 0 ) {
+				ri.Con_Printf( PRINT_ALL, "%s\n", dlerror() );
+				return false;
+			}
 		}
 		Com_Printf ("Using %s for OpenGL...", fn); 
 	} else {
--- a/src/linux/vid_so.c
+++ b/src/linux/vid_so.c
@@ -237,13 +237,17 @@ qboolean VID_LoadRefresh( char *name )
 	//regain root
 	seteuid(saved_euid);
 
-	path = Cvar_Get ("basedir", ".", CVAR_NOSET)->string;
+	path = Cvar_Get ("basedir", DEFAULT_BASEDIR, CVAR_NOSET)->string;
 
 	snprintf (fn, MAX_OSPATH, "%s/%s", path, name );
 	
 	if (stat(fn, &st) == -1) {
-		Com_Printf( "LoadLibrary(\"%s\") failed: %s\n", name, strerror(errno));
-		return false;
+		path = Cvar_Get ("libdir", DEFAULT_LIBDIR, CVAR_NOSET)->string;
+		snprintf (fn, MAX_OSPATH, "%s/%s", path, name );
+		if (stat(fn, &st) == -1) {
+			Com_Printf( "LoadLibrary(\"%s\") failed: %s\n", name, strerror(errno));
+			return false;
+		}
 	}
 	
 	// permission checking
@@ -493,13 +497,19 @@ qboolean VID_CheckRefExists (const char 
 	char	*path;
 	struct stat st;
 
-	path = Cvar_Get ("basedir", ".", CVAR_NOSET)->string;
+	path = Cvar_Get ("libdir", DEFAULT_LIBDIR, CVAR_NOSET)->string;
 	snprintf (fn, MAX_OSPATH, "%s/ref_%s.so", path, ref );
 	
 	if (stat(fn, &st) == 0)
 		return true;
-	else
-		return false;
+	else {
+		path = Cvar_Get ("basedir", DEFAULT_BASEDIR, CVAR_NOSET)->string;
+		snprintf (fn, MAX_OSPATH, "%s/ref_%s.so", path, ref );
+		if (stat(fn, &st) == 0)
+			return true;
+		else
+			return false;
+	}
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
--- a/src/qcommon/files.c
+++ b/src/qcommon/files.c
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ typedef struct pack_s
 
 char	fs_gamedir[MAX_OSPATH];
 cvar_t	*fs_basedir;
+cvar_t	*fs_libdir;
 cvar_t	*fs_cddir;
 cvar_t	*fs_gamedirvar;
 
@@ -681,6 +682,7 @@ void FS_SetGamedir (char *dir)
 		if (fs_cddir->string[0])
 			FS_AddGameDirectory (va("%s/%s", fs_cddir->string, dir) );
 		FS_AddGameDirectory (va("%s/%s", fs_basedir->string, dir) );
+		FS_AddGameDirectory (va("%s/%s", fs_libdir->string, dir) );
 		FS_AddHomeAsGameDirectory(dir);
 	}
 }
@@ -898,7 +900,13 @@ void FS_InitFilesystem (void)
 	// basedir <path>
 	// allows the game to run from outside the data tree
 	//
-	fs_basedir = Cvar_Get ("basedir", ".", CVAR_NOSET);
+	fs_basedir = Cvar_Get ("basedir", DEFAULT_BASEDIR, CVAR_NOSET);
+
+	//
+	// libdir <path>
+	// allows the game to store binary files (not data) in a sep tree
+	//
+	fs_libdir = Cvar_Get ("libdir", DEFAULT_LIBDIR, CVAR_NOSET);
 
 	//
 	// cddir <path>
@@ -913,6 +921,7 @@ void FS_InitFilesystem (void)
 	// add baseq2 to search path
 	//
 	FS_AddGameDirectory (va("%s/"BASEDIRNAME, fs_basedir->string) );
+	FS_AddGameDirectory (va("%s/"BASEDIRNAME, fs_libdir->string) );
 
 	//
 	// then add a '.quake2/baseq2' directory in home directory by default
--- a/src/qcommon/qcommon.h
+++ b/src/qcommon/qcommon.h
@@ -74,6 +74,13 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suit
 
 #endif
 
+#ifndef DEFAULT_BASEDIR
+# define DEFAULT_BASEDIR "."
+#endif
+#ifndef DEFAULT_LIBDIR
+# define DEFAULT_LIBDIR DEFAULT_BASEDIR
+#endif
+
 //============================================================================
 
 typedef struct sizebuf_s