diff --git a/libgimpbase/gimpenv.c b/libgimpbase/gimpenv.c
index 656b8f7ab3..fc01c176cc 100644
--- a/libgimpbase/gimpenv.c
+++ b/libgimpbase/gimpenv.c
@@ -346,11 +346,29 @@ gimp_directory (void)
 
 #else /* UNIX */
 
-      /* g_get_user_config_dir () always returns a path as a non-null
-       * and non-empty string
-       */
-      gimp_dir = g_build_filename (g_get_user_config_dir (),
-                                   GIMPDIR, GIMP_USER_VERSION, NULL);
+      if (g_file_test ("/.flatpak-info", G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
+        {                       /* Linux flatpak version */
+          gchar *host_xdg_config_home = g_getenv ("HOST_XDG_CONFIG_HOME");
+
+          if (host_xdg_config_home == NULL)
+            gimp_dir =  g_build_filename (g_get_home_dir (),
+                                          ".config",
+                                          GIMPDIR, GIMP_USER_VERSION,
+                                          NULL);
+          else
+            gimp_dir =  g_build_filename (host_xdg_config_home,
+                                          GIMPDIR, GIMP_USER_VERSION,
+                                          NULL);
+        }
+
+      if (gimp_dir == NULL)
+        {
+          /* g_get_user_config_dir () always returns a path as a non-null
+           * and non-empty string
+           */
+          gimp_dir = g_build_filename (g_get_user_config_dir (),
+                                       GIMPDIR, GIMP_USER_VERSION, NULL);
+        }
 
 #endif /* PLATFORM_OSX */
     }