diff --git a/compiler/main.v b/compiler/main.v
index fc8484aeb3..c4cfc04c64 100644
--- a/compiler/main.v
+++ b/compiler/main.v
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ mut:
 	out_name   string // "program.exe"
 	is_prod    bool // use "-O2" and skip printlns (TODO I don't thik many people want printlns to disappear in prod buidls)
 	is_repl    bool
+	vroot      string
 }
 
 fn main() {
@@ -825,6 +826,7 @@ fn new_v(args[]string) *V {
 		build_mode: build_mode
 		is_run: args.contains('run')
 		is_repl: args.contains('-repl')
+		vroot: lang_dir
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/compiler/parser.v b/compiler/parser.v
index 5fe7a9d867..88f8941930 100644
--- a/compiler/parser.v
+++ b/compiler/parser.v
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ mut:
 	calling_c      bool
 	cur_fn         *Fn
 	returns        bool
+	vroot          string
 }
 
 const (
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ fn (c mut V) new_parser(path string, run Pass) Parser {
 		build_mode: c.build_mode
 		is_repl: c.is_repl
 		run: run
+		vroot: c.vroot
 	}
 	p.next()
 	// p.scanner.debug_tokens()
@@ -2605,7 +2607,7 @@ fn (p mut Parser) chash() {
 			pos := flag.index(' ')
 			flag = flag.right(pos)
 		}
-		flag = flag.trim_space()
+		flag = flag.trim_space().replace('@VROOT', p.vroot)
 		if p.table.flags.contains(flag) {
 			return
 		}
diff --git a/gl/gl.v b/gl/gl.v
index 2bfc74ca68..213f24cc3e 100644
--- a/gl/gl.v
+++ b/gl/gl.v
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ import const (
 )
 
 // TODO: windows support
-#flag linux -I$HOME/code/v/thirdparty/glad
-#flag darwin -I$HOME/code/v/thirdparty/glad
+#flag linux  -I @VROOT/thirdparty/glad
+#flag darwin -I @VROOT/thirdparty/glad
 
 #include "glad.h"
 #include "glad.c"
diff --git a/json/json_primitives.v b/json/json_primitives.v
index 1f5f8aca45..48006abd87 100644
--- a/json/json_primitives.v
+++ b/json/json_primitives.v
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@
 module json
 
 // TODO: windows support
-#flag linux -I$HOME/code/v/thirdparty/cJSON
-#flag darwin -I$HOME/code/v/thirdparty/cJSON
+
+#flag linux  -I @VROOT/thirdparty/cJSON
+#flag darwin -I @VROOT/thirdparty/cJSON
 
 // #include "cJSON.c"
 #include "cJSON.h"
diff --git a/stbi/stbi.v b/stbi/stbi.v
index 88344ec437..a8b66fdbf6 100644
--- a/stbi/stbi.v
+++ b/stbi/stbi.v
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ module stbi
 
 import gl
 
-#flag linux -I$HOME/code/v/thirdparty/stb_image
-#flag darwin -I$HOME/code/v/thirdparty/stb_image
+#flag linux  -I @VROOT/thirdparty/stb_image
+#flag darwin -I @VROOT/thirdparty/stb_image
 
 #define STB_IMAGE_IMPLEMENTATION
 #include "stb_image.h"