diff --git a/cadquery/freecad_impl/__init__.py b/cadquery/freecad_impl/__init__.py
index ac73b1e7..46d6c64d 100644
--- a/cadquery/freecad_impl/__init__.py
+++ b/cadquery/freecad_impl/__init__.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ def _fc_path():
                 "/usr/lib/freecad/lib",
                 "/opt/freecad/lib/",
                 "/usr/bin/freecad/lib",
+                "/usr/lib/freecad",
                 ]:
             if os.path.exists(_PATH):
                 return _PATH
@@ -94,5 +95,11 @@ def _fc_path():
             if os.path.exists(_PATH):
                 return _PATH
 
-#Make sure that the correct FreeCAD path shows up in Python's system path
-sys.path.insert(0, _fc_path())
+
+try:
+    import FreeCAD
+except ImportError:
+    #Make sure that the correct FreeCAD path shows up in Python's system path
+    path = _fc_path()
+    if path: sys.path.insert(0, _fc_path())
+    else: raise ImportError('cadquery was unable to determine freecads library path')