diff --git a/electrum b/electrum
index 53942030d..28e305339 100755
--- a/electrum
+++ b/electrum
@@ -34,17 +34,20 @@ except ImportError:
     sys.exit("Error: AES does not seem to be installed. Try 'sudo pip install slowaes'")
 
 
+is_local = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)) == os.getcwd()
 is_android = 'ANDROID_DATA' in os.environ
 
+import __builtin__
+__builtin__.use_local_modules = is_local or is_android
+
 # load local module as electrum
-if os.path.exists("lib") or is_android:
+if __builtin__.use_local_modules:
     import imp
     imp.load_module('electrum', *imp.find_module('lib'))
     imp.load_module('electrum_gui', *imp.find_module('gui'))
 
 from electrum import *
 
-
 # get password routine
 def prompt_password(prompt, confirm=True):
     import getpass
diff --git a/gui/gui_classic.py b/gui/gui_classic.py
index b86926e68..ea1ae2498 100644
--- a/gui/gui_classic.py
+++ b/gui/gui_classic.py
@@ -346,11 +346,11 @@ class ElectrumWindow(QMainWindow):
 
     # plugins
     def init_plugins(self):
-        import imp, pkgutil
-        if os.path.exists("plugins"):
+        import imp, pkgutil, __builtin__
+        if __builtin__.use_local_modules:
             fp, pathname, description = imp.find_module('plugins')
+            plugin_names = [name for a, name, b in pkgutil.iter_modules([pathname])]
             imp.load_module('electrum_plugins', fp, pathname, description)
-            plugin_names = [name for a, name, b in pkgutil.iter_modules(['plugins'])]
             self.plugins = map(lambda name: imp.load_source('electrum_plugins.'+name, os.path.join(pathname,name+'.py')), plugin_names)
         else:
             import electrum_plugins