diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index 5808a3f21c55..5d1913ebf31a 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -3573,6 +3573,8 @@ static bool config_load_file(global_t *global,
 {
    unsigned i;
    char tmp_str[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+   char* libretro_directory                        = NULL;
+   char* libretro_assets_directory                 = NULL;
    static bool first_load                          = true;
    bool without_overrides                          = false;
    unsigned msg_color                              = 0;
@@ -3849,7 +3851,11 @@ static bool config_load_file(global_t *global,
    }
 
 #if !IOS
-   if (config_get_path(conf, "libretro_directory", tmp_str, sizeof(tmp_str)))
+   libretro_directory = getenv("LIBRETRO_DIRECTORY");
+   if (libretro_directory) {   /* override the configured value */
+      configuration_set_string(settings,
+            settings->paths.directory_libretro, libretro_directory);
+   } else if (config_get_path(conf, "libretro_directory", tmp_str, sizeof(tmp_str)))
       configuration_set_string(settings,
             settings->paths.directory_libretro, tmp_str);
 #endif
@@ -4040,7 +4046,11 @@ static bool config_load_file(global_t *global,
       *settings->paths.directory_audio_filter = '\0';
    if (string_is_equal(settings->paths.directory_core_assets, "default"))
       *settings->paths.directory_core_assets = '\0';
-   if (string_is_equal(settings->paths.directory_assets, "default"))
+   libretro_assets_directory = getenv("LIBRETRO_ASSETS_DIRECTORY");
+   if (libretro_assets_directory) { /* override the configure value */
+      configuration_set_string(settings,
+           settings->paths.directory_assets, libretro_assets_directory);
+   } else if (string_is_equal(settings->paths.directory_assets, "default"))
       *settings->paths.directory_assets = '\0';
 #ifdef _3DS
    if (string_is_equal(settings->paths.directory_bottom_assets, "default"))
diff --git a/docs/retroarch.6 b/docs/retroarch.6
index 7478040e176a..fa36cb8bd6e1 100644
--- a/docs/retroarch.6
+++ b/docs/retroarch.6
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 .\" retroarch.6:
 
-.TH  "RETROARCH" "6" "November 1, 2011" "RETROARCH" "System Manager's Manual: retroarch"
+.TH  "RETROARCH" "6" "September 28, 2024" "RETROARCH" "System Manager's Manual: retroarch"
 
 .SH NAME
 
@@ -239,3 +239,15 @@ Disables all kinds of content patching.
 .TP
 \fB-D, --detach\fR
 Detach from the current console. This is currently only relevant for Microsoft Windows.
+
+.SH ENVIRONMENT
+\fBretroarch\fR supports the following environment variables:
+.TP
+\fBLIBRETRO_DIRECTORY\fR
+Specify the directory where RetroArch looks for its core files. It
+overrides the value of the "libretro_directory" configuration file option.
+.TP
+\fBLIBRETRO_ASSETS_DIRECTORY\fR
+Specify the directory where RetroArch looks to find its assets. It
+overrides the value of the "assets_directory" configuration file
+option.