diff --git a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/Sources.pp b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/Sources.pp
index 928befea15..a7d5afaff8 100644
--- a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/Sources.pp
+++ b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/Sources.pp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   #if $[ne $[PLATFORM], FreeBSD]
     #define UNIX_SYS_LIBS dl
   #endif
+  #define WIN_SYS_LIBS shell32.lib
   
   #define COMBINED_SOURCES $[TARGET]_composite1.cxx  $[TARGET]_composite2.cxx
   
diff --git a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/executionEnvironment.cxx b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/executionEnvironment.cxx
index 0535258b74..02e64e7c5c 100644
--- a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/executionEnvironment.cxx
+++ b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/executionEnvironment.cxx
@@ -186,6 +186,18 @@ ns_get_environment_variable(const string &var) const {
   if (evi != _variables.end()) {
     return (*evi).second;
   }
+
+  // Some special case variables.  We virtually stuff these values
+  // into the Panda environment, shadowing whatever values they have
+  // the true environment, so they can be used in config files.
+  if (var == "TEMP") {
+    return Filename::get_temp_directory().to_os_specific();
+  } else if (var == "USER_APPDATA") {
+    return Filename::get_user_appdata_directory().to_os_specific();
+  } else if (var == "COMMON_APPDATA") {
+    return Filename::get_common_appdata_directory().to_os_specific();
+  }
+
 #ifdef PREREAD_ENVIRONMENT
   return string();
 #else
diff --git a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/filename.cxx b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/filename.cxx
index c2464d7d5a..d4fe101ae5 100644
--- a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/filename.cxx
+++ b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/filename.cxx
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@
 
 bool Filename::_got_temp_directory;
 Filename Filename::_temp_directory;
+bool Filename::_got_user_appdata_directory;
+Filename Filename::_user_appdata_directory;
+bool Filename::_got_common_appdata_directory;
+Filename Filename::_common_appdata_directory;
 TypeHandle Filename::_type_handle;
 
 #ifdef WIN32
@@ -459,23 +463,106 @@ get_temp_directory() {
       }
     }
 
-    if (!_got_temp_directory) {
-      // if $TMP or $TEMP contain bogus strings, GetTempPath() may
-      // return a bogus string.
-      _temp_directory = ExecutionEnvironment::get_cwd();
-      _got_temp_directory = true;
-    }
-
 #else
     // Posix case.
     _temp_directory = "/tmp";
     _got_temp_directory = true;
 #endif  // WIN32
+
+    if (!_got_temp_directory) {
+      // Fallback case.
+      _temp_directory = ExecutionEnvironment::get_cwd();
+      _got_temp_directory = true;
+    }
   }
 
   return _temp_directory;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: Filename::get_user_appdata_directory
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Returns a path to a system-defined directory
+//               appropriate for creating a subdirectory for storing
+//               application-specific data, specific to the current
+//               user.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+const Filename &Filename::
+get_user_appdata_directory() {
+  if (!_got_user_appdata_directory) {
+#ifdef WIN32
+    char buffer[MAX_PATH];
+
+    if (SHGetSpecialFolderPath(NULL, buffer, CSIDL_APPDATA, true)) {
+      _user_appdata_directory = from_os_specific(buffer);
+      if (_user_appdata_directory.is_directory()) {
+        if (_user_appdata_directory.make_canonical()) {
+          _got_user_appdata_directory = true;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+#else
+    // Posix case.
+    char *home = getenv("HOME");
+    if (home != (char *)NULL) {
+      _user_appdata_directory = from_os_specific(home);
+      if (_user_appdata_directory.is_directory()) {
+        if (_user_appdata_directory.make_canonical()) {
+          _got_user_appdata_directory = true;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+#endif  // WIN32
+
+    if (!_got_user_appdata_directory) {
+      // Fallback case.
+      _user_appdata_directory = ExecutionEnvironment::get_cwd();
+      _got_user_appdata_directory = true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return _user_appdata_directory;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: Filename::get_common_appdata_directory
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Returns a path to a system-defined directory
+//               appropriate for creating a subdirectory for storing
+//               application-specific data, common to all users.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+const Filename &Filename::
+get_common_appdata_directory() {
+  if (!_got_common_appdata_directory) {
+#ifdef WIN32
+    char buffer[MAX_PATH];
+
+    if (SHGetSpecialFolderPath(NULL, buffer, CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA, true)) {
+      _common_appdata_directory = from_os_specific(buffer);
+      if (_common_appdata_directory.is_directory()) {
+        if (_common_appdata_directory.make_canonical()) {
+          _got_common_appdata_directory = true;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+#else
+    // Posix case.
+    _common_appdata_directory = "/var";
+    _got_common_appdata_directory = true;
+#endif  // WIN32
+
+    if (!_got_common_appdata_directory) {
+      // Fallback case.
+      _common_appdata_directory = ExecutionEnvironment::get_cwd();
+      _got_common_appdata_directory = true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return _common_appdata_directory;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: Filename::set_fullpath
 //       Access: Published
diff --git a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/filename.h b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/filename.h
index fb5177a382..3c5f5a1300 100644
--- a/dtool/src/dtoolutil/filename.h
+++ b/dtool/src/dtoolutil/filename.h
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
                             Type type = T_general);
 
   static const Filename &get_temp_directory();
+  static const Filename &get_user_appdata_directory();
+  static const Filename &get_common_appdata_directory();
 
   // Assignment is via the = operator.
   INLINE Filename &operator = (const string &filename);
@@ -222,6 +224,10 @@ protected:
 
   static bool _got_temp_directory;
   static Filename _temp_directory;
+  static bool _got_user_appdata_directory;
+  static Filename _user_appdata_directory;
+  static bool _got_common_appdata_directory;
+  static Filename _common_appdata_directory;
 
 public:
   static TypeHandle get_class_type() {