diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5e5cca3568..2fd68b7605 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -441,10 +441,11 @@ install-man-page: man-page
 install-linux-scripts:
 	@echo "#!/bin/sh" > openra
 	@echo 'cd "$(gameinstalldir)"' >> openra
+# Note: this relies on the non-standard -f flag implemented by gnu readlink
 ifeq ($(DEBUG), $(filter $(DEBUG),false no n off 0))
-	@echo 'mono OpenRA.Game.exe "$$@"' >> openra
+	@echo 'mono OpenRA.Game.exe Engine.LaunchPath="$(readlink -f $0)" "$$@"' >> openra
 else
-	@echo 'mono --debug OpenRA.Game.exe "$$@"' >> openra
+	@echo 'mono --debug OpenRA.Game.exe Engine.LaunchPath="$(readlink -f $0)" "$$@"' >> openra
 endif
 	@echo 'if [ $$? != 0 -a $$? != 1 ]' >> openra
 	@echo 'then' >> openra
diff --git a/launch-game.sh b/launch-game.sh
index 72838f4d3f..80ffa4af69 100755
--- a/launch-game.sh
+++ b/launch-game.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# launch script (executed by Desura)
-mono OpenRA.Game.exe "$@"
+# Note: this relies on the non-standard -f flag implemented by gnu readlink
+mono OpenRA.Game.exe Engine.LaunchPath="$(readlink -f $0)" "$@"
 if [ $? != 0 -a $? != 1 ]
 then
 	ZENITY=`which zenity` || echo "OpenRA needs zenity installed to display a graphical error dialog. See ~/.openra. for log files."