diff -burN bvi-1.3.2.orig/io.c bvi-1.3.2/io.c
--- bvi-1.3.2.orig/io.c	2004-02-15 00:17:56.704261504 +0100
+++ bvi-1.3.2/io.c	2004-02-15 00:21:35.243038560 +0100
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@
 {
 	char    *initstr;
 	char    rcpath[MAXCMD];
+	char	*home_etc = getenv("HOME_ETC");
 
 	terminal = getenv("TERM");
 	shell = getenv("SHELL");
@@ -285,8 +286,13 @@
 	read_rc(rcpath);
 	read_rc("BVI.RC");
 #else
+	if (home_etc) {
+		strncpy(rcpath, home_etc, MAXCMD - 7);
+		rcpath[MAXCMD - 7] = '\0';
+	} else {
 	strncpy(rcpath, getenv("HOME"), MAXCMD - 8);
 	rcpath[MAXCMD - 8] = '\0';
+	};
 	strcat(rcpath, "/.bvirc");
 	if (stat(rcpath, &buf) == 0) {
 		if (buf.st_uid == getuid()) read_rc(rcpath);