diff --git a/src/blupi.cxx b/src/blupi.cxx
index 1b2c498..716693c 100644
--- a/src/blupi.cxx
+++ b/src/blupi.cxx
@@ -756,6 +756,15 @@ DoInit (int argc, char * argv[], bool & exit)
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
+#ifdef __LINUX__
+  if (!getenv ("ALSA_CONFIG_DIR"))
+  {
+    char env[256];
+    snprintf (env, sizeof (env), "ALSA_CONFIG_DIR=/usr/share/alsa");
+    putenv (env);
+  }
+#endif /* __LINUX__ */
+
 #ifdef _WIN32
   /* Fix laggy sounds on Windows by not using winmm driver. */
   SDL_setenv ("SDL_AUDIODRIVER", "directsound", true);