diff --git a/src/sage/env.py b/src/sage/env.py
index d654e98b6a5..7e20fbb7b3d 100644
--- a/src/sage/env.py
+++ b/src/sage/env.py
@@ -159,7 +159,8 @@ def var(key, *fallbacks, **kwds):
 var('SAGE_VERSION_BANNER', version.banner)
 
 # bunch of sage directories and files
-var('SAGE_LOCAL',          os.path.abspath(sys.prefix))
+var('SAGE_VENV',           os.path.abspath(sys.prefix))
+var('SAGE_LOCAL',          SAGE_VENV)
 var('SAGE_ETC',            join(SAGE_LOCAL, 'etc'))
 var('SAGE_INC',            join(SAGE_LOCAL, 'include'))
 var('SAGE_SHARE',          join(SAGE_LOCAL, 'share'))