diff --git a/upip/metadata.txt b/upip/metadata.txt
index ad48163a..2b1936f3 100644
--- a/upip/metadata.txt
+++ b/upip/metadata.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 srctype = micropython-lib
 type = module
-version = 0.5.8
+version = 0.5.9
 author = Paul Sokolovsky
 extra_modules = upip_ffilib, upip_errno, upip_gzip, upip_os, upip_os_path, upip_stat, upip_utarfile
 desc = Simple package manager for MicroPython.
diff --git a/upip/setup.py b/upip/setup.py
index 8e176e50..3c94a3aa 100644
--- a/upip/setup.py
+++ b/upip/setup.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from setuptools import setup
 
 
 setup(name='micropython-upip',
-      version='0.5.8',
+      version='0.5.9',
       description='Simple package manager for MicroPython.',
       long_description='Simple package manager for MicroPython, targetting to be self-hosted (but not yet there). Compatible only with packages without custom setup.py code.',
       url='https://github.com/micropython/micropython/issues/405',
diff --git a/upip/upip.py b/upip/upip.py
index 092f75b1..8e7f1153 100644
--- a/upip/upip.py
+++ b/upip/upip.py
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ def main():
             fatal("Unknown/unsupported option: " + opt)
 
     if install_path is None:
-        install_path = DEFAULT_MICROPYPATH
+        install_path = os.getenv("MICROPYPATH", DEFAULT_MICROPYPATH)
 
     install_path = install_path.split(":", 1)[0]