diff -ur gnustep-base-1.11.0/Source/NSPathUtilities.m gnustep-base-1.11.0-test4/Source/NSPathUtilities.m
--- gnustep-base-1.11.0/Source/NSPathUtilities.m	2005-06-04 03:22:50.000000000 -0400
+++ gnustep-base-1.11.0-test4/Source/NSPathUtilities.m	2005-09-06 15:28:26.000000000 -0400
@@ -765,13 +765,22 @@
 {
   NSString	*s = nil;
 #if !defined(__MINGW__)
+  char		*env_var;
   struct passwd *pw;
 
   [gnustep_global_lock lock];
-  pw = getpwnam ([loginName cString]);
-  if (pw != 0  && pw->pw_dir != NULL)
+  // ADC - Add respect for "HOME" env var
+  if (NULL != (env_var = getenv("HOME")))
     {
-      s = [NSString stringWithCString: pw->pw_dir];
+      s = [NSString stringWithCString: env_var];
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      pw = getpwnam ([loginName cString]);
+      if (pw != 0  && pw->pw_dir != NULL)
+        {
+          s = [NSString stringWithCString: pw->pw_dir];
+        }
     }
   [gnustep_global_lock unlock];
 #else
@@ -836,10 +845,18 @@
     {
       userName = NSUserName();
     }
-  if (gnustepSystemRoot == nil)
+  if (gnustepSystemRoot == nil
+      || (defaultsPath == nil)
+      || (userPath == nil)
+      || (home == nil)
+    )
     {
       InitialisePathUtilities();
+      defaultsPath = gnustepDefaultsPath;
+      userPath = gnustepUserPath;
+     
     }
+/*
   if ([userName isEqual: NSUserName()])
     {
       home = gnustepUserRoot;
@@ -847,8 +864,9 @@
     }
   else
     {
+*/
       home = setUserGNUstepPath(userName, &defaultsPath, &userPath);
-    }
+//    }
 
   if ([defaultsPath isAbsolutePath])
     {
@@ -859,6 +877,7 @@
       home = [home stringByAppendingPathComponent: defaultsPath];
     }
 
+
   return internalizePath(home);
 }