diff --git a/docs/changelog.md b/docs/changelog.md
index ebf4c868..b68d5205 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/changelog.md
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 Changelog
 =========
 
+#### 4.0.38
+
+* Added the system property "com.sksamuel.scrimage.webp.binary.dir" to configure the directory of the webp binaries.
+
 #### 4.0.37
 
 * Better error message when image loading fails, to indicate the file type.
diff --git a/docs/webp.md b/docs/webp.md
index ddd637f3..b8d4fb19 100644
--- a/docs/webp.md
+++ b/docs/webp.md
@@ -7,8 +7,14 @@ Scrimage provides support for webp through the `scrimage-webp` module. To use we
 This module uses the `dwebp`, `cwebp` and `gif2webp` binaries, created by Google. The `scrimage-webp` module comes with the
 linux_x64, window_x64, mac-10.15 binaries already included (see required [copyright notice](https://github.com/sksamuel/scrimage/blob/master/scrimage-webp/src/main/resources/dist_webp_binaries/LICENSE)).
 
-If you don't wish to use the embedded binaries, then you can [download other versions](https://developers.google.com/speed/webp) and place them
-on your classpath at `/webp_binaries/{osName}/dwebp` or `/webp_binaries/{osName}/cwebp` or `/webp_binaries/{osName}/gif2webp`.
+If you don't wish to use the embedded binaries, then you can [download other versions](https://developers.google.com/speed/webp)
+and use the system property "com.sksamuel.scrimage.webp.binary.dir" to configure the directory you placed the binaries:
+```shell
+java -Dcom.sksamuel.scrimage.webp.binary.dir="/tmp/webp" -jar myprogram.jar
+```
+Or you can place them on your classpath at `/webp_binaries/{osName}/dwebp` or `/webp_binaries/{osName}/cwebp` or
+`/webp_binaries/{osName}/gif2webp`.
+The directory set by the system property is always searched first.
 
 `{osName}` must be one of `window`, `linux`, `mac`. ie `/webp_binaries/window/cwebp`.
 
diff --git a/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/CWebpHandler.java b/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/CWebpHandler.java
index 0871312f..cebf7b39 100644
--- a/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/CWebpHandler.java
+++ b/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/CWebpHandler.java
@@ -14,9 +14,15 @@ public class CWebpHandler extends WebpHandler {
 
    static {
       try {
-         // write out binary to a location we can execute it from
-         binary = createPlaceholder("cwebp");
-         installCWebp();
+         // try to get the binary path from the system property
+         Path pathFromProperty = getPathFromProperty("cwebp");
+         if (pathFromProperty != null) {
+            binary = pathFromProperty;
+         } else {
+            // write out binary to a location we can execute it from
+            binary = createPlaceholder("cwebp");
+            installCWebp();
+         }
       } catch (IOException e) {
          throw new RuntimeException(e);
       }
diff --git a/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/DWebpHandler.java b/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/DWebpHandler.java
index 770c8b67..34c5ad7b 100644
--- a/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/DWebpHandler.java
+++ b/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/DWebpHandler.java
@@ -13,9 +13,15 @@ public class DWebpHandler extends WebpHandler {
 
    static {
       try {
-         // write out binary to a location we can execute it from
-         binary = createPlaceholder("dwebp");
-         installDWebp();
+         // try to get the binary path from the system property
+         Path pathFromProperty = getPathFromProperty("dwebp");
+         if (pathFromProperty != null) {
+            binary = pathFromProperty;
+         } else {
+            // write out binary to a location we can execute it from
+            binary = createPlaceholder("dwebp");
+            installDWebp();
+         }
       } catch (IOException e) {
          throw new RuntimeException(e);
       }
diff --git a/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/Gif2WebpHandler.java b/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/Gif2WebpHandler.java
index 420f12d5..64556696 100644
--- a/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/Gif2WebpHandler.java
+++ b/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/Gif2WebpHandler.java
@@ -14,9 +14,15 @@ public class Gif2WebpHandler extends WebpHandler {
 
    static {
       try {
-         // write out binary to a location we can execute it from
-         binary = createPlaceholder("gif2webp");
-         installGif2Webp();
+         // try to get the binary path from the system property
+         Path pathFromProperty = getPathFromProperty("gif2webp");
+         if (pathFromProperty != null) {
+            binary = pathFromProperty;
+         } else {
+            // write out binary to a location we can execute it from
+            binary = createPlaceholder("gif2webp");
+            installGif2Webp();
+         }
       } catch (IOException e) {
          throw new RuntimeException(e);
       }
diff --git a/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/WebpHandler.java b/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/WebpHandler.java
index 473ca0c8..0ffc929c 100644
--- a/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/WebpHandler.java
+++ b/scrimage-webp/src/main/java/com/sksamuel/scrimage/webp/WebpHandler.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.nio.file.Files;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
+import java.nio.file.Paths;
 import java.nio.file.StandardCopyOption;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
@@ -16,6 +17,21 @@ abstract class WebpHandler {
 
    private static final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(WebpHandler.class);
 
+   protected static Path getPathFromProperty(String name) {
+      try {
+         String binaryDir = System.getProperty("com.sksamuel.scrimage.webp.binary.dir");
+         if (binaryDir != null && !binaryDir.isEmpty()) {
+            Path path = Paths.get(binaryDir, name);
+            if (Files.isExecutable(path)) {
+               return path;
+            }
+         }
+         return null;
+      } catch (Exception ignored) {
+         return null;
+      }
+   }
+
    protected static Path createPlaceholder(String name) throws IOException {
       return Files.createTempFile(name, "binary");
    }