Index: core/src/main/java/org/castor/core/util/Configuration.java
===================================================================
--- core/src/main/java/org/castor/core/util/Configuration.java	(revision 8015)
+++ core/src/main/java/org/castor/core/util/Configuration.java	(working copy)
@@ -162,12 +162,24 @@
         Properties properties = new Properties();
         
         // Get common configuration from the classpath root, ignore if not found.
-        boolean onClasspathRoot = loadFromClassPath(properties, "/" + filename);
+        boolean userPropertiesLoaded = loadFromClassPath(properties, "/" + filename);
         
         // If not found on classpath root, either it doesn't exist, or "." is not part of
         // the classpath, try looking at local working directory.
-        if (!onClasspathRoot) { loadFromWorkingDirectory(properties, filename); }
+        if (!userPropertiesLoaded) {
+            userPropertiesLoaded = loadFromWorkingDirectory(properties, filename);
+        }
         
+        if (!userPropertiesLoaded) {
+            String property = System.getProperty("org.castor.user.properties.location");
+            if (property != null && property.length() > 0) {
+                File file = new File(property);
+                if (file.exists()) {
+                    userPropertiesLoaded = loadFromFile(properties, file);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        
         _map.putAll(properties);
     }