diff --git a/conf/app.ini b/conf/app.ini
index ed864f2695..419e25ea7f 100644
--- a/conf/app.ini
+++ b/conf/app.ini
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ KEY_FILE = custom/https/key.pem
 ; Upper level of template and static file path
 ; default is the path where Gogs is executed
 STATIC_ROOT_PATH =
+; Default path for App data
+APP_DATA_PATH = data
 ; Application level GZIP support
 ENABLE_GZIP = false
 ; Landing page for non-logged users, can be "home" or "explore"
diff --git a/modules/setting/setting.go b/modules/setting/setting.go
index dcee488e70..5d117be41f 100644
--- a/modules/setting/setting.go
+++ b/modules/setting/setting.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ var (
 	AppSubUrl      string
 	AppSubUrlDepth int // Number of slashes
 	AppPath        string
-	AppDataPath    = "data"
+	AppDataPath    string
 
 	// Server settings
 	Protocol           Scheme
@@ -334,6 +334,7 @@ func NewContext() {
 	OfflineMode = sec.Key("OFFLINE_MODE").MustBool()
 	DisableRouterLog = sec.Key("DISABLE_ROUTER_LOG").MustBool()
 	StaticRootPath = sec.Key("STATIC_ROOT_PATH").MustString(workDir)
+	AppDataPath = sec.Key("APP_DATA_PATH").MustString("data")
 	EnableGzip = sec.Key("ENABLE_GZIP").MustBool()
 
 	switch sec.Key("LANDING_PAGE").MustString("home") {