diff --git a/src/switch.c b/src/switch.c
index e4865757b2..ae38ab5fb8 100644
--- a/src/switch.c
+++ b/src/switch.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 #include "private/switch_core_pvt.h"
 
 /* pid filename: Stores the process id of the freeswitch process */
-#define PIDFILE "freeswitch.pid"
+#define PIDFILE "sangoma-media-gateway.pid"
 static char *pfile = PIDFILE;
 
 
@@ -346,6 +346,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		"\t-stop                  -- stop freeswitch\n"
 		"\t-nc                    -- do not output to a console and background\n"
 		"\t-c                     -- output to a console and stay in the foreground\n"
+		"\t-base [basedir]        -- specify an alternate base dir\n"
 		"\t-conf [confdir]        -- specify an alternate config dir\n"
 		"\t-log [logdir]          -- specify an alternate log dir\n"
 		"\t-run [rundir]          -- specify an alternate run dir\n"
@@ -578,6 +579,22 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			known_opt++;
 		}
 
+		if (local_argv[x] && !strcmp(local_argv[x], "-base")) {
+			x++;
+			if (local_argv[x] && strlen(local_argv[x])) {
+				SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.base_dir = (char *) malloc(strlen(local_argv[x]) + 1);
+				if (!SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.base_dir) {
+					fprintf(stderr, "Allocation error\n");
+					return 255;
+				}
+				strcpy(SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.base_dir, local_argv[x]);
+			} else {
+				fprintf(stderr, "When using -base you must specify a base directory\n");
+				return 255;
+			}
+			known_opt++;
+		}
+
 		if (local_argv[x] && !strcmp(local_argv[x], "-log")) {
 			x++;
 			if (local_argv[x] && strlen(local_argv[x])) {
diff --git a/src/switch_core.c b/src/switch_core.c
index dd12aef908..9a4a967447 100644
--- a/src/switch_core.c
+++ b/src/switch_core.c
@@ -447,6 +447,9 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(void) switch_core_set_globals(void)
 	base_dir[(lastbacklash - base_dir)] = '\0';
 #else
 	char base_dir[1024] = SWITCH_PREFIX_DIR;
+	if (SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.base_dir) {
+		snprintf(base_dir, sizeof(base_dir), "%s", SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.base_dir);
+	}
 #endif
 
 	if (!SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.base_dir && (SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.base_dir = (char *) malloc(BUFSIZE))) {
@@ -1296,6 +1299,7 @@ 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("base_logdir", SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.log_dir);
 	switch_core_set_variable("recordings_dir", SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.recordings_dir);
 	switch_core_set_variable("sound_prefix", SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.sounds_dir);
 	switch_core_set_variable("sounds_dir", SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.sounds_dir);