diff --git a/cmd/restray/config.go b/cmd/restray/config.go
index 4d476f7..6f65684 100644
--- a/cmd/restray/config.go
+++ b/cmd/restray/config.go
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ func fixEnvFilePermissions(profiles []Profile) {
 }
 
 var configDirOverride string
+var dataDirOverride string
 
 func configDir() string {
 	if configDirOverride != "" {
@@ -181,6 +182,9 @@ func defaultEnvPath(name string) string {
 }
 
 func dataDir() string {
+	if dataDirOverride != "" {
+		return dataDirOverride
+	}
 	if env := os.Getenv("RESTRAY_STATE"); env != "" {
 		return env
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/restray/main.go b/cmd/restray/main.go
index 63f6723..678b8b4 100644
--- a/cmd/restray/main.go
+++ b/cmd/restray/main.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"log"
 	"os"
+	"runtime"
 
 	"fyne.io/systray"
 	"github.com/gen2brain/beeep"
@@ -11,6 +12,11 @@ import (
 
 const version = "0.18.6"
 
+const (
+	systemConfigDir = "/etc/restray"
+	systemStateDir  = "/var/lib/restray"
+)
+
 func preParseGlobalFlags() (verbose bool, remaining []string) {
 	args := os.Args[1:]
 	for i := 0; i < len(args); i++ {
@@ -22,6 +28,12 @@ func preParseGlobalFlags() (verbose bool, remaining []string) {
 				configDirOverride = args[i+1]
 				i++
 			}
+		case "--system":
+			if runtime.GOOS != "linux" {
+				log.Fatalf("restray: --system is not supported on %s", runtime.GOOS)
+			}
+			configDirOverride = systemConfigDir
+			dataDirOverride = systemStateDir
 		default:
 			remaining = append(remaining, args[i])
 		}