diff --git a/shell/model/ShellModel.py b/shell/model/ShellModel.py
index e87dc122..54b7ebc5 100644
--- a/shell/model/ShellModel.py
+++ b/shell/model/ShellModel.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from sugar.activity.bundleregistry import BundleRegistry
 from model.Friends import Friends
 from model.MeshModel import MeshModel
 from model.Owner import ShellOwner
+from sugar import env
 
 class ShellModel:
 	def __init__(self):
@@ -40,10 +41,9 @@ class ShellModel:
 		path = os.path.expanduser('~/Activities')
 		self._bundle_registry.add_search_path(path)
 
-		if os.environ.has_key('XDG_DATA_DIRS'):
-			for path in os.environ['XDG_DATA_DIRS'].split(':'):
-				bundles_path = os.path.join(path, 'activities')
-				self._bundle_registry.add_search_path(bundles_path)
+		for path in env.get_data_dirs():
+			bundles_path = os.path.join(path, 'activities')
+			self._bundle_registry.add_search_path(bundles_path)
 
 	def get_bundle_registry(self):
 		return self._bundle_registry
diff --git a/sugar/env.py b/sugar/env.py
index 209f3460..0c996b47 100644
--- a/sugar/env.py
+++ b/sugar/env.py
@@ -60,6 +60,13 @@ def get_dbus_config_094():
 def get_shell_bin_dir():
 	return sugar_shell_bin_dir
 
+# http://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-0.6.html
+def get_data_dirs():
+	if os.environ.has_key('XDG_DATA_DIRS'):
+		return os.environ['XDG_DATA_DIRS'].split(':')
+	else:
+		return [ '/usr/local/share/', '/usr/share/' ]
+
 _dbus_version = None
 def get_dbus_version():
 	global _dbus_version