diff --git a/gnu/local.mk b/gnu/local.mk
index 67d9eb703a..e6fca384a0 100644
--- a/gnu/local.mk
+++ b/gnu/local.mk
@@ -1115,6 +1115,7 @@ dist_patch_DATA =						\
   %D%/packages/patches/netsurf-longer-test-timeout.patch	\
   %D%/packages/patches/nfs-utils-missing-headers.patch		\
   %D%/packages/patches/ngircd-handle-zombies.patch		\
+  %D%/packages/patches/nm-plugin-path.patch			\
   %D%/packages/patches/nss-increase-test-timeout.patch		\
   %D%/packages/patches/nss-pkgconfig.patch			\
   %D%/packages/patches/ntfs-3g-CVE-2019-9755.patch		\
diff --git a/gnu/packages/gnome.scm b/gnu/packages/gnome.scm
index 1179e09901..4299d84deb 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/gnome.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/gnome.scm
@@ -5297,6 +5297,7 @@ users.")
               (uri (string-append "mirror://gnome/sources/NetworkManager/"
                                   (version-major+minor version) "/"
                                   "NetworkManager-" version ".tar.xz"))
+              (patches (search-patches "nm-plugin-path.patch"))
               (sha256
                (base32
                 "1jn3g0f2x1irc88awqp8m3gnpdx1whqqqbdgkbgr4x55s702jki4"))
diff --git a/gnu/packages/patches/nm-plugin-path.patch b/gnu/packages/patches/nm-plugin-path.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..505ae31534
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gnu/packages/patches/nm-plugin-path.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+From d3026a6d331298003ccc6cd9d2e20dcb7fa9ae1d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
+From: =?UTF-8?q?Tom=C3=A1=C5=A1=20=C4=8Cech?= <sleep_walker@gnu.org>
+Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2019 13:31:54 +0200
+Subject: [PATCH] respect NM_VPN_PLUGIN_DIR
+
+---
+ src/vpn/nm-vpn-manager.c | 14 ++++++++++++++
+ 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+)
+
+diff --git a/src/vpn/nm-vpn-manager.c b/src/vpn/nm-vpn-manager.c
+index d063916..d779166 100644
+--- a/src/vpn/nm-vpn-manager.c
++++ b/src/vpn/nm-vpn-manager.c
+@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ nm_vpn_manager_init (NMVpnManager *self)
+ 	GSList *infos, *info;
+ 	const char *conf_dir_etc = _nm_vpn_plugin_info_get_default_dir_etc ();
+ 	const char *conf_dir_lib = _nm_vpn_plugin_info_get_default_dir_lib ();
++	const char *conf_dir_user = _nm_vpn_plugin_info_get_default_dir_user ();
+ 
+ 	/* Watch the VPN directory for changes */
+ 	file = g_file_new_for_path (conf_dir_lib);
+@@ -241,6 +242,14 @@ nm_vpn_manager_init (NMVpnManager *self)
+ 		                                         G_CALLBACK (vpn_dir_changed), self);
+ 	}
+ 
++	file = g_file_new_for_path (conf_dir_user);
++	priv->monitor_etc = g_file_monitor_directory (file, G_FILE_MONITOR_NONE, NULL, NULL);
++	g_object_unref (file);
++	if (priv->monitor_etc) {
++		priv->monitor_id_etc = g_signal_connect (priv->monitor_etc, "changed",
++		                                         G_CALLBACK (vpn_dir_changed), self);
++	}
++
+ 	/* first read conf_dir_lib. The name files are not really user configuration, but
+ 	 * plugin configuration. Hence we expect ~newer~ plugins to install their files
+ 	 * in /usr/lib/NetworkManager. We want to prefer those files.
+@@ -255,6 +264,11 @@ nm_vpn_manager_init (NMVpnManager *self)
+ 		try_add_plugin (self, info->data);
+ 	g_slist_free_full (infos, g_object_unref);
+ 
++	infos = _nm_vpn_plugin_info_list_load_dir (conf_dir_user, TRUE, 0, NULL, NULL);
++	for (info = infos; info; info = info->next)
++		try_add_plugin (self, info->data);
++	g_slist_free_full (infos, g_object_unref);
++
+ 	priv->active_services = g_hash_table_new_full (nm_str_hash, g_str_equal, g_free, NULL);
+ }
+ 
+-- 
+2.22.0
+