diff --git a/ground/openpilotgcs/openpilotgcs.pri b/ground/openpilotgcs/openpilotgcs.pri
index 66315baf6..577e44db9 100644
--- a/ground/openpilotgcs/openpilotgcs.pri
+++ b/ground/openpilotgcs/openpilotgcs.pri
@@ -97,7 +97,8 @@ macx {
         GCS_QT_PLUGINS_PATH = $$GCS_BUILD_TREE/$$GCS_LIBRARY_BASENAME/qt5/plugins
         GCS_QT_QML_PATH = $$GCS_BUILD_TREE/$$GCS_LIBRARY_BASENAME/qt5/qml
 
-        TOOLS_DIR = $$clean_path($$GCS_SOURCE_TREE/../../tools)
+        TOOLS_DIR = $$(OPENPILOT_TOOLS_DIR)
+        isEmpty(TOOLS_DIR):TOOLS_DIR = $$clean_path($$GCS_SOURCE_TREE/../../tools)
         QT_INSTALL_DIR = $$clean_path($$[QT_INSTALL_LIBS]/../../../..)
         equals(QT_INSTALL_DIR, $$TOOLS_DIR) {
             copyqt = 1