diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index b91dc14a4f..b190d93d79 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@ install-data-local:
 	@for x in mod db log log/xml_cdr bin scripts grammar recordings ; do \
 		$(mkinstalldirs) $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/$$x ; \
 	 done
+	$(mkinstalldirs) $(DESTDIR)@recordingsdir@
 	$(mkinstalldirs) $(DESTDIR)@modinstdir@
 	test -d $(DESTDIR)@confdir@ || $(MAKE) samples-conf
 	test -d $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/htdocs || $(MAKE) samples-htdocs
diff --git a/conf/autoload_configs/conference.conf.xml b/conf/autoload_configs/conference.conf.xml
index 68315e2b2e..1f49e22696 100644
--- a/conf/autoload_configs/conference.conf.xml
+++ b/conf/autoload_configs/conference.conf.xml
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
       <!-- Uncomment auto-record to toggle recording every conference call. -->
       <!-- Another valid value is   shout://user:pass@server.com/live.mp3   -->
       <!--
-      <param name="auto-record" value="$${base_dir}/recordings/${conference_name}_${strftime(%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S)}.wav"/>
+      <param name="auto-record" value="$${recordings_dir}/${conference_name}_${strftime(%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S)}.wav"/>
       -->
     </profile>
 
diff --git a/conf/dialplan/default.xml b/conf/dialplan/default.xml
index e2eaba3458..57897ac237 100644
--- a/conf/dialplan/default.xml
+++ b/conf/dialplan/default.xml
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@
 	<action application="export" data="dialed_extension=$1"/>
 	<!-- bind_meta_app can have these args <key> [a|b|ab] [a|b|o|s] <app> -->
 	<action application="bind_meta_app" data="1 b s execute_extension::dx XML features"/>
-	<action application="bind_meta_app" data="2 b s record_session::$${base_dir}/recordings/${caller_id_number}.${strftime(%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S)}.wav"/>
+	<action application="bind_meta_app" data="2 b s record_session::$${recordings_dir}/${caller_id_number}.${strftime(%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S)}.wav"/>
 	<action application="bind_meta_app" data="3 b s execute_extension::cf XML features"/>
 	<action application="set" data="ringback=${us-ring}"/>
 	<action application="set" data="transfer_ringback=$${hold_music}"/>
diff --git a/conf/sip_profiles/internal-ipv6.xml b/conf/sip_profiles/internal-ipv6.xml
index 519d143192..755e172dbf 100644
--- a/conf/sip_profiles/internal-ipv6.xml
+++ b/conf/sip_profiles/internal-ipv6.xml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
     <param name="apply-inbound-acl" value="domains"/>
     <!--<param name="apply-register-acl" value="domains"/>-->
     <!--<param name="dtmf-type" value="info"/>-->
-    <param name="record-template" value="$${base_dir}/recordings/${caller_id_number}.${strftime(%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S)}.wav"/>
+    <param name="record-template" value="$${recordings_dir}/${caller_id_number}.${strftime(%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S)}.wav"/>
     <!--enable to use presence and mwi -->
     <param name="manage-presence" value="true"/>
     <!-- This setting is for AAL2 bitpacking on G726 -->
diff --git a/conf/sip_profiles/internal.xml b/conf/sip_profiles/internal.xml
index 6c435b04f9..13cd3fd3ec 100644
--- a/conf/sip_profiles/internal.xml
+++ b/conf/sip_profiles/internal.xml
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
     <param name="local-network-acl" value="localnet.auto"/>
     <!--<param name="apply-register-acl" value="domains"/>-->
     <!--<param name="dtmf-type" value="info"/>-->
-    <param name="record-path" value="$${base_dir}/recordings"/>
+    <param name="record-path" value="$${recordings_dir}"/>
     <param name="record-template" value="${caller_id_number}.${target_domain}.${strftime(%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S)}.wav"/>
     <!--enable to use presence -->
     <param name="manage-presence" value="true"/>
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 725b4a378e..e282429878 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ AC_ARG_WITH([rundir],
 AC_SUBST(rundir)
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([SWITCH_RUN_DIR],"${rundir}",[where to put pidfile to])
 
+recordingsdir="${prefix}/recordings"
+AC_SUBST(recordingsdir)
+AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([SWITCH_RECORDINGS_DIR],"${recordingsdir}",[where to put recording files])
+
 if test "$sysconfdir" = "\${prefix}/etc" ; then
     confdir="$prefix/conf"
 else
diff --git a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_skypiax/configs/default.xml b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_skypiax/configs/default.xml
index 64b41650da..3a8ca4d017 100644
--- a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_skypiax/configs/default.xml
+++ b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_skypiax/configs/default.xml
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@
 	<action application="export" data="dialed_extension=$1"/>
 	<!-- bind_meta_app can have these args <key> [a|b|ab] [a|b|o|s] <app> -->
 	<action application="bind_meta_app" data="1 b s execute_extension::dx XML features"/>
-	<action application="bind_meta_app" data="2 b s record_session::$${base_dir}/recordings/${caller_id_number}.${strftime(%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S)}.wav"/>
+	<action application="bind_meta_app" data="2 b s record_session::$${recordings_dir}/${caller_id_number}.${strftime(%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S)}.wav"/>
 	<action application="bind_meta_app" data="3 b s execute_extension::cf XML features"/>
 	<action application="set" data="ringback=${us-ring}"/>
 	<action application="set" data="transfer_ringback=$${hold_music}"/>
diff --git a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_sofia/sofia.c b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_sofia/sofia.c
index 2d8bbca0ae..ea58353e46 100644
--- a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_sofia/sofia.c
+++ b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_sofia/sofia.c
@@ -5144,7 +5144,7 @@ void sofia_handle_sip_i_info(nua_t *nua, sofia_profile_t *profile, nua_handle_t
 				if (!strcasecmp(rec_header, "on")) {
 					char *file = NULL, *tmp = NULL;
 
-					tmp = switch_mprintf("%s%s%s", profile->record_path ? profile->record_path : "${base_dir}/recordings",
+					tmp = switch_mprintf("%s%s%s", profile->record_path ? profile->record_path : "${recordings_dir}",
 										 SWITCH_PATH_SEPARATOR, profile->record_template);
 					file = switch_channel_expand_variables(channel, tmp);
 					switch_ivr_record_session(session, file, 0, NULL);
diff --git a/src/switch_core.c b/src/switch_core.c
index e1960a7355..288cc227e7 100644
--- a/src/switch_core.c
+++ b/src/switch_core.c
@@ -458,6 +458,14 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(void) switch_core_set_globals(void)
 #endif
 	}
 
+	if (!SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.recordings_dir && (SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.recordings_dir = (char *) malloc(BUFSIZE))) {
+#ifdef SWITCH_RECORDINGS_DIR
+		switch_snprintf(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.recordings_dir, BUFSIZE, "%s", SWITCH_RECORDINGS_DIR);
+#else
+		switch_snprintf(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.recordings_dir, BUFSIZE, "%s%srecordings", base_dir, SWITCH_PATH_SEPARATOR);
+#endif
+	}
+
 	if (!SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.storage_dir && (SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.storage_dir = (char *) malloc(BUFSIZE))) {
 #ifdef SWITCH_STORAGE_DIR
 		switch_snprintf(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.storage_dir, BUFSIZE, "%s", SWITCH_STORAGE_DIR);
@@ -520,6 +528,7 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(void) switch_core_set_globals(void)
 	switch_assert(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.script_dir);
 	switch_assert(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.htdocs_dir);
 	switch_assert(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.grammar_dir);
+	switch_assert(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.recordings_dir);
 	switch_assert(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.temp_dir);
 }
 
@@ -1219,6 +1228,7 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(switch_status_t) switch_core_init(switch_core_flag_t flags, switc
 	switch_dir_make_recursive(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.script_dir, SWITCH_DEFAULT_DIR_PERMS, runtime.memory_pool);
 	switch_dir_make_recursive(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.htdocs_dir, SWITCH_DEFAULT_DIR_PERMS, runtime.memory_pool);
 	switch_dir_make_recursive(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.grammar_dir, SWITCH_DEFAULT_DIR_PERMS, runtime.memory_pool);
+	switch_dir_make_recursive(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.recordings_dir, SWITCH_DEFAULT_DIR_PERMS, runtime.memory_pool);
 	switch_dir_make_recursive(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.temp_dir, SWITCH_DEFAULT_DIR_PERMS, runtime.memory_pool);
 
 	switch_mutex_init(&runtime.uuid_mutex, SWITCH_MUTEX_NESTED, runtime.memory_pool);
@@ -1253,6 +1263,7 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(switch_status_t) switch_core_init(switch_core_flag_t flags, switc
 	switch_find_local_ip(guess_ip, sizeof(guess_ip), NULL, AF_INET6);
 	switch_core_set_variable("local_ip_v6", guess_ip);
 	switch_core_set_variable("base_dir", SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.base_dir);
+	switch_core_set_variable("recordings_dir", SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.recordings_dir);
 	switch_core_set_serial();
 
 	switch_console_init(runtime.memory_pool);
@@ -1791,6 +1802,7 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(switch_status_t) switch_core_destroy(void)
 	switch_safe_free(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.script_dir);
 	switch_safe_free(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.htdocs_dir);
 	switch_safe_free(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.grammar_dir);
+	switch_safe_free(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.recordings_dir);
 	switch_safe_free(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.temp_dir);
 
 	switch_core_hash_destroy(&runtime.global_vars);