diff --git a/config/application.yml b/config/application.yml
index cf6d5fafd..25df99d26 100644
--- a/config/application.yml
+++ b/config/application.yml
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ standard_settings: &standard_settings
   # Location of GPX traces and images
   gpx_trace_dir: "/home/osm/traces"
   gpx_image_dir: "/home/osm/images"
+  # Location of data for file columns
+  #file_column_root: ""
 
 development:
   <<: *standard_settings
diff --git a/config/initializers/file_column.rb b/config/initializers/file_column.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6447ef558
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/initializers/file_column.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+if defined?(FILE_COLUMN_ROOT)
+  FileColumn::ClassMethods::DEFAULT_OPTIONS[:root_path] = FILE_COLUMN_ROOT
+end