diff --git a/etc/irpf90.rc b/etc/irpf90.rc
index 42ec4502..8bc59bcc 100644
--- a/etc/irpf90.rc
+++ b/etc/irpf90.rc
@@ -1,10 +1,18 @@
 # Configuration of IRPF90 package
 
-# Set the path of IRPF90 here:
-export IRPF90_PATH=${QP_ROOT}/external/irpf90-v1.7.6
-export PATH=${PATH}:${IRPF90_PATH}/bin
+IRPF90=$(command -v irpf90)
+
+if [[ ${IRPF90}.x == ".x" ]] ; then
+  IRPF90=${IRPF90_PATH}/bin/irpf90
+  IRPF90_PATH=${QP_ROOT}/external/irpf90-v1.7.6
+  export PATH=${PATH}:${IRPF90_PATH}/bin
+else
+  IRPF90_PATH=$(command -v irpf90 | xargs dirname | xargs dirname)
+fi
+
+export IRPF90
+export IRPF90_PATH
 
-export IRPF90=${IRPF90_PATH}/bin/irpf90
 
 function source_if_exists() {
   if [[ -f $1 ]]; then
diff --git a/etc/ninja.rc b/etc/ninja.rc
index 0ac28966..cd4f6bff 100644
--- a/etc/ninja.rc
+++ b/etc/ninja.rc
@@ -1,13 +1,18 @@
 # Configuration for the Ninja package
 
-export NINJA=${QP_ROOT}/bin/ninja
+NINJA=$(command -v ninja)
+
+if [[ ${NINJA}.x == ".x" ]] ; then
+  NINJA=${QP_ROOT}/bin/ninja
+fi
+
+export NINJA
 
 function ninja () {
   if [[ -f ${QP_ROOT}/build.ninja ]] ; then
-	${QP_ROOT}/bin/ninja "$@"
+        ${QP_ROOT}/bin/ninja "$@"
   else
-	>&2 echo "Error: build.ninja does not exists.
+        >&2 echo "Error: build.ninja does not exists.
 You need to run ./configure  first."
   fi
-
 }