diff --git a/cnf/gac.in b/cnf/gac.in
index 92c0599..edb1149 100644
--- a/cnf/gac.in
+++ b/cnf/gac.in
@@ -64,19 +64,41 @@ abs_top_srcdir="@abs_top_srcdir@"
 #
 libdir="@libdir@"
 
-# path to the GAP executable
+# path to the installed dataroot directory
+gapshare="@datadir@/gap"
+
+# check for an in source sysinfo.gap first
+if [ -f "${abs_top_builddir}/sysinfo.gap" ]; then
+. "${abs_top_builddir}/sysinfo.gap"
+# then try for an installed location
+elif [ -f "${gapshare}/sysinfo.gap" ]; then
+. "${gapshare}/sysinfo.gap"
+else
+echo "sysinfo.gap not found. Aborting"
+exit 1
+fi
+
+# path to the GAP executable - testing in source first
+if [ -f "${abs_top_builddir}/gap" ]; then
 gap_compiler="${abs_top_builddir}/gap"
+else
+# assume installed location
+gap_compiler="${gapshare}/bin/${GAParch}/gap"
+fi
 
+# path to libtoll - testing in source location first
+if [ -f "$abs_top_builddir/libtool" ]; then
 libtool="$SHELL $abs_top_builddir/libtool"
+else
+# assume installed location
+libtool="$SHELL $gapshare/libtool"
+fi
 CC="@CC@"
 
 # These three should be filled in by the standard autoconf procedures 
 c_compiler="$libtool --mode=compile $CC"
 c_linker="$libtool --mode=link $CC -export-dynamic"
 
-# read sysinfo.gap, which should set GAP_CFLAGS, GAP_CPPFLAGS, GAP_LDFLAGS, GAP_LIBS
-. "${abs_top_builddir}/sysinfo.gap"
-
 # These will need special care
 c_dyn_linker="$libtool --mode=link $CC -module -avoid-version -rpath $libdir"
 c_addlibs=""
@@ -115,10 +137,10 @@ c_compile () {
 #F  c_link_dyn <output> <input>
 ##
 c_link_dyn () {
-    echo ${c_dyn_linker} ${GAP_LDFLAGS} -o $1 $2 ${c_addlibs}
+    echo ${c_dyn_linker} ${GAP_LDFLAGS} -o $1 $2 ${c_addlibs} ${GAP_LIBS}
     output_la=${1%.so}.la
     output_dir=$(dirname $1)
-    ${c_dyn_linker} ${GAP_LDFLAGS} -o "$output_la" $2 ${c_addlibs} || exit 1
+    ${c_dyn_linker} ${GAP_LDFLAGS} -o "$output_la" $2 ${c_addlibs} ${GAP_LIBS} || exit 1
     if [ X"$SYS_IS_CYGWIN32" = X"yes" ] ; then
         # GAP assumes shared libraries end in .so
         for dllfile in `cd $output_dir/.libs; ls *.dll`; do