diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/fe-gtk.c b/src/fe-gtk/fe-gtk.c
index 07bab186..b7376750 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/fe-gtk.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/fe-gtk.c
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ create_msg_dialog (gchar *title, gchar *message)
 	gtk_widget_destroy (dialog);
 }
 
+static char *win32_argv0_dir;
+
 static void
 win32_set_gsettings_schema_dir (void)
 {
@@ -225,24 +227,66 @@ static void
 win32_configure_icon_theme (void)
 {
 	GtkIconTheme *theme;
+	const char *env_icons_path;
 	char *base_path;
 	char *icons_path;
+	char *cwd_dir;
+	char *cwd_path;
+	char *argv0_icons_path;
+	const char *selected_source = NULL;
+	char *selected_path = NULL;
+
+	#define WIN32_SET_ICON_PATH(source_name, path_value) \
+		G_STMT_START { \
+			if ((path_value) != NULL && g_file_test ((path_value), G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR)) \
+			{ \
+				gtk_icon_theme_append_search_path (theme, (path_value)); \
+				if (selected_path == NULL) \
+				{ \
+					selected_source = (source_name); \
+					selected_path = g_strdup (path_value); \
+				} \
+			} \
+		} G_STMT_END
 
 	theme = gtk_icon_theme_get_default ();
 	if (!theme)
 		return;
 
+	env_icons_path = g_getenv ("ZOITECHAT_ICON_PATH");
+	if (env_icons_path && *env_icons_path)
+		WIN32_SET_ICON_PATH ("ZOITECHAT_ICON_PATH", env_icons_path);
+
 	base_path = g_win32_get_package_installation_directory_of_module (NULL);
-	if (!base_path)
-		return;
+	if (base_path)
+	{
+		icons_path = g_build_filename (base_path, "share", "icons", NULL);
+		WIN32_SET_ICON_PATH ("module base", icons_path);
+		g_free (icons_path);
+	}
 
-	icons_path = g_build_filename (base_path, "share", "icons", NULL);
+	cwd_dir = g_get_current_dir ();
+	cwd_path = g_build_filename (cwd_dir, "share", "icons", NULL);
+	WIN32_SET_ICON_PATH ("current working directory", cwd_path);
+	g_free (cwd_path);
+	g_free (cwd_dir);
 
-	if (g_file_test (icons_path, G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR))
-		gtk_icon_theme_append_search_path (theme, icons_path);
+	if (win32_argv0_dir)
+	{
+		argv0_icons_path = g_build_filename (win32_argv0_dir, "share", "icons", NULL);
+		WIN32_SET_ICON_PATH ("argv[0] directory", argv0_icons_path);
+		g_free (argv0_icons_path);
+	}
 
-	g_free (icons_path);
+	if (selected_path)
+		g_message ("win32_configure_icon_theme: selected icon path (%s): %s", selected_source, selected_path);
+	else
+		g_message ("win32_configure_icon_theme: no usable icon path found (checked ZOITECHAT_ICON_PATH, module base/share/icons, cwd/share/icons, argv[0]/share/icons)");
+
+	g_free (selected_path);
 	g_free (base_path);
+
+	#undef WIN32_SET_ICON_PATH
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -361,16 +405,10 @@ fe_args (int argc, char *argv[])
 	/* cuts can. So we have to set the current dir manually, to the path  */
 	/* of the exe. */
 	{
-		char *tmp = g_strdup (argv[0]);
-		char *sl;
-
-		sl = strrchr (tmp, G_DIR_SEPARATOR);
-		if (sl)
-		{
-			*sl = 0;
-			chdir (tmp);
-		}
-		g_free (tmp);
+		g_free (win32_argv0_dir);
+		win32_argv0_dir = g_path_get_dirname (argv[0]);
+		if (win32_argv0_dir)
+			chdir (win32_argv0_dir);
 	}
 #endif