diff --git a/OpenRA.FileFormats/Filesystem/FileSystem.cs b/OpenRA.FileFormats/Filesystem/FileSystem.cs
index 91b7c851f0..1e3b704585 100644
--- a/OpenRA.FileFormats/Filesystem/FileSystem.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.FileFormats/Filesystem/FileSystem.cs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.FileFormats
 	public static class FileSystem
 	{
 		static List<IFolder> mountedFolders = new List<IFolder>();
+		public static string SpecialPackageRoot = "";
 
 		static Cache<uint, List<IFolder>> allFiles = new Cache<uint, List<IFolder>>( _ => new List<IFolder>() );
 
@@ -73,7 +74,11 @@ namespace OpenRA.FileFormats
 		{
 			var optional = name.StartsWith("~");
 			if (optional) name = name.Substring(1);
-
+			
+			// paths starting with $ are relative to SpecialPackageRoot
+			if (name.StartsWith("$"))
+				name = SpecialPackageRoot+name.Substring(1);
+			
 			var a = (Action)(() => FileSystem.MountInner(OpenPackage(name)));
 
 			if (optional)
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Game.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Game.cs
index 5ca95f840e..1436dfd7e2 100755
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Game.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Game.cs
@@ -219,6 +219,8 @@ namespace OpenRA
 												+ Path.DirectorySeparatorChar + "OpenRA";
 
 			SupportDir = args.GetValue("SupportDir", defaultSupport);
+			FileSystem.SpecialPackageRoot = args.GetValue("SpecialPackageRoot", "");
+			
 			Settings = new Settings(SupportDir + "settings.yaml", args);
 
 			Settings.Save();
diff --git a/mods/cnc/mod.yaml b/mods/cnc/mod.yaml
index 821aecf062..896315fa36 100644
--- a/mods/cnc/mod.yaml
+++ b/mods/cnc/mod.yaml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Folders:
 	mods/cnc
 	mods/cnc/bits
 	mods/cnc/uibits
-	mods/cnc/packages
+	$mods/cnc/packages
 
 Packages:
 	overrides.mix
diff --git a/mods/ra/mod.yaml b/mods/ra/mod.yaml
index 53e08f3a4e..848926691d 100644
--- a/mods/ra/mod.yaml
+++ b/mods/ra/mod.yaml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Folders:
 	mods/ra
 	mods/ra/bits
 	mods/ra/uibits
-	mods/ra/packages
+	$mods/ra/packages
 
 Packages:
 	~main.mix