diff --git a/docs/env_vars.md b/docs/env_vars.md
index 48f96f7f..9fca8165 100644
--- a/docs/env_vars.md
+++ b/docs/env_vars.md
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ wlroots reads these environment variables
 * *WLR_SESSION*: specifies the wlr\_session to be used (available sessions:
   logind/systemd, direct)
 * *WLR_DIRECT_TTY*: specifies the tty to be used (instead of using /dev/tty)
+* *WLR_XWAYLAND*: specifies the path to an Xwayland binary to be used (instead
+  of following shell search semantics for "Xwayland")
 
 ## DRM backend
 
diff --git a/xwayland/server.c b/xwayland/server.c
index 27e9861a..24b435aa 100644
--- a/xwayland/server.c
+++ b/xwayland/server.c
@@ -107,8 +107,16 @@ noreturn static void exec_xwayland(struct wlr_xwayland_server *server) {
 		dup2(devnull, STDERR_FILENO);
 	}
 
+	const char *xwayland_path = getenv("WLR_XWAYLAND");
+	if (xwayland_path) {
+		wlr_log(WLR_INFO, "Using Xwayland binary to '%s' due to WLR_XWAYLAND",
+			xwayland_path);
+	} else {
+		xwayland_path = "Xwayland";
+	}
+
 	// This returns if and only if the call fails
-	execvp("Xwayland", argv);
+	execvp(xwayland_path, argv);
 
 	wlr_log_errno(WLR_ERROR, "failed to exec Xwayland");
 	close(devnull);