diff --git a/cmake/compilerDefinitions.cmake b/cmake/compilerDefinitions.cmake
index 9b96160edf4..5de849fc399 100644
--- a/cmake/compilerDefinitions.cmake
+++ b/cmake/compilerDefinitions.cmake
@@ -61,5 +61,7 @@ if(NO_WINDOWS_SEH)
     add_definitions(-DNO_WINDOWS_SEH)
 endif()
 
-file(TO_CMAKE_PATH ${FILESDIR} _filesdir)
-add_definitions(-DFILESDIR="${_filesdir}")
+if(FILESDIR_DEF)
+    file(TO_CMAKE_PATH "${FILESDIR_DEF}" _filesdir)
+    add_definitions(-DFILESDIR="${_filesdir}")
+endif()
diff --git a/cmake/options.cmake b/cmake/options.cmake
index 36685883460..a0402862dc6 100644
--- a/cmake/options.cmake
+++ b/cmake/options.cmake
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ option(NO_UNIX_SIGNAL_HANDLING "Disable usage of Unix Signal Handling"
 option(NO_UNIX_BACKTRACE_SUPPORT "Disable usage of Unix Backtrace support"                  OFF)
 option(NO_WINDOWS_SEH       "Disable usage of Windows SEH"                                  OFF)
 
+# TODO: disable by default like make build?
+option(FILESDIR "Hard-coded directory for files to load from"                               OFF)
+
 if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_EQUAL "3.16" OR CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_GREATER "3.16")
     set(CMAKE_DISABLE_PRECOMPILE_HEADERS Off CACHE BOOL "Disable precompiled headers")
     # need to disable the prologue or it will be treated like a system header and not emit any warnings
@@ -95,5 +98,11 @@ set(CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/bin)
 set(CMAKE_ARCHIVE_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/lib)
 set(CMAKE_LIBRARY_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/lib)
 
-set(FILESDIR                       ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/${PROJECT_NAME} CACHE STRING "Cppcheck files directory")
-
+string(LENGTH "${FILESDIR}" _filesdir_len)
+# override FILESDIR if it is set or empty
+if(FILESDIR OR ${_filesdir_len} EQUAL 0)
+# TODO: verify that it is an abolute path?
+    set(FILESDIR_DEF                   ${FILESDIR})
+else()
+    set(FILESDIR_DEF                   ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/${PROJECT_NAME} CACHE STRING "Cppcheck files directory")
+endif()
diff --git a/cmake/printInfo.cmake b/cmake/printInfo.cmake
index adf63d1ce0a..c99fc205b22 100644
--- a/cmake/printInfo.cmake
+++ b/cmake/printInfo.cmake
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ if(USE_BOOST)
 endif()
 message(STATUS "USE_LIBCXX =            ${USE_LIBCXX}")
 message(STATUS)
+message(STATUS "FILESDIR =              ${FILESDIR}")
+message(STATUS "FILESDIR_DEF =          ${FILESDIR_DEF}")
+message(STATUS)
 
 if(${ANALYZE_ADDRESS})
   message("##########################################################")