diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0f16f47a2..920e6e223 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -272,6 +272,12 @@ The following "tags" are replaced by ES in launch commands:
 
 `%ROM_RAW%`	- Replaced with the unescaped, absolute path to the selected ROM.  If your emulator is picky about paths, you might want to use this instead of %ROM%, but enclosed in quotes.
 
+`%ROM_DIR%`	- Replaced with the dirname (except "/base.ext") of the selected ROM. Use this when you need to chdir to the directory where the ROM.
+
+`%CFG_DIR%`	- Replaced with the directory path of the EmulationStation configuration file contains (i.e. your .emulationstation directory).
+
+`%INSTALL_DIR%`	- Replaced with the directory path of the EmulationStation executable file contains.
+
 See [SYSTEMS.md](SYSTEMS.md) for some live examples in EmulationStation.
 
 gamelist.xml
diff --git a/es-app/src/FileData.cpp b/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
index 1aa4f0f07..86d68affd 100644
--- a/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
@@ -287,14 +287,20 @@ void FileData::launchGame(Window* window)
 
 	std::string command = mEnvData->mLaunchCommand;
 
-	const std::string rom      = Utils::FileSystem::getEscapedPath(getPath());
-	const std::string basename = Utils::FileSystem::getStem(getPath());
-	const std::string rom_raw  = Utils::FileSystem::getPreferredPath(getPath());
-	const std::string name     = getName();
+	const std::string rom         = Utils::FileSystem::getEscapedPath(getPath());
+	const std::string basename    = Utils::FileSystem::getStem(getPath());
+	const std::string rom_raw     = Utils::FileSystem::getPreferredPath(getPath());
+	const std::string name        = getName();
+	const std::string rom_dir     = Utils::FileSystem::getPreferredPath(Utils::FileSystem::getParent(getPath()));
+	const std::string cfg_dir     = Utils::FileSystem::getPreferredPath(Utils::FileSystem::getCanonicalPath(Utils::FileSystem::getHomePath() + "/.emulationstation"));
+	const std::string install_dir = Utils::FileSystem::getPreferredPath(Utils::FileSystem::getCanonicalPath(Utils::FileSystem::getExePath()));
 
 	command = Utils::String::replace(command, "%ROM%", rom);
 	command = Utils::String::replace(command, "%BASENAME%", basename);
 	command = Utils::String::replace(command, "%ROM_RAW%", rom_raw);
+	command = Utils::String::replace(command, "%ROM_DIR%", rom_dir);
+	command = Utils::String::replace(command, "%CFG_DIR%", cfg_dir);
+	command = Utils::String::replace(command, "%INSTALL_DIR%", install_dir);
 
 	Scripting::fireEvent("game-start", rom, basename, name);