diff --git a/paddleocr.py b/paddleocr.py
index e1377fa03c..b33fbcb9c8 100644
--- a/paddleocr.py
+++ b/paddleocr.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def _import_file(module_name, file_path, make_importable=False):
 SUPPORT_DET_MODEL = ['DB']
 VERSION = '2.7.0.3'
 SUPPORT_REC_MODEL = ['CRNN', 'SVTR_LCNet']
-BASE_DIR = os.path.expanduser("~/.paddleocr/")
+BASE_DIR = os.environ.get('PADDLE_OCR_BASE_DIR', os.path.expanduser("~/.paddleocr/"))
 
 DEFAULT_OCR_MODEL_VERSION = 'PP-OCRv4'
 SUPPORT_OCR_MODEL_VERSION = ['PP-OCR', 'PP-OCRv2', 'PP-OCRv3', 'PP-OCRv4']