diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 922745ae4f2c5605d1ae8033daf302719c75b19a..210b5ee582d720858a86bef0be460951f50604bb 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ class get_pybind_include(object):
 
 
 def get_jpp_include():
-    return os.path.join(os.getenv("JPP_DIR", ""), "software")
+    jpp_dir = os.getenv("JPP_DIR")
+    if jpp_dir:
+        return os.path.join(jpp_dir, "software")
+    return "jpp"
 
 
 ext_modules = [