diff --git a/autojump b/autojump
index 8fe7618..502b917 100755
--- a/autojump
+++ b/autojump
@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@ import os
 MAX_KEYWEIGHT = 1000
 MAX_STORED_PATHS = 600
 COMPLETION_SEPARATOR = '__'
-CONFIG_DIR = os.environ.get("AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR", os.path.expanduser("~"))
+if "AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR" in os.environ:
+    CONFIG_DIR = os.environ.get("AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR")
+else:
+    xdg_data_dir = os.environ.get('XDG_DATA_HOME') or os.path.join(os.environ['HOME'], '.local', 'share')
+    CONFIG_DIR=os.path.join(xdg_data_dir, 'autojump')
 
 def uniqadd(collection, key):
     """Adds a key to a list only if it is not already present"""
diff --git a/autojump.bash b/autojump.bash
index f29b92f..aad91a8 100644
--- a/autojump.bash
+++ b/autojump.bash
@@ -25,23 +25,24 @@ _autojump()
         done  < <(autojump --bash --completion $cur)
 }
 complete -F _autojump j
-#data_dir=${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$([ -e ~/.local/share ] && echo ~/.local/share || echo ~)}
-data_dir=$([ -e ~/.local/share ] && echo ~/.local/share || echo ~)
-export AUTOJUMP_HOME=${HOME}
-if [[ "$data_dir" = "${HOME}" ]]
+
+#determine the data directory according to the XDG Base Directory Specification
+if [ -n "$XDG_DATA_HOME" ]
 then
-    export AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR=${data_dir}
+    export AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR="$XDG_DATA_HOME/autojump"
 else
-    export AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR=${data_dir}/autojump
+    export AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR=~/.local/share/autojump
 fi
+
 if [ ! -e "${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}" ]
 then
-    mkdir "${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}"
+    mkdir -p "${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}"
     mv ~/.autojump_py "${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}/autojump_py" 2>>/dev/null #migration
     mv ~/.autojump_py.bak "${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}/autojump_py.bak" 2>>/dev/null
     mv ~/.autojump_errors "${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}/autojump_errors" 2>>/dev/null
 fi
 
+export AUTOJUMP_HOME=${HOME}
 AUTOJUMP='{ [[ "$AUTOJUMP_HOME" == "$HOME" ]] && (autojump -a "$(pwd -P)"&)>/dev/null 2>>${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}/.autojump_errors;} 2>/dev/null'
 if [[ ! $PROMPT_COMMAND =~ autojump ]]; then
   export PROMPT_COMMAND="$AUTOJUMP ; ${PROMPT_COMMAND:-:}"
diff --git a/autojump.zsh b/autojump.zsh
index f7a170d..1f32269 100644
--- a/autojump.zsh
+++ b/autojump.zsh
@@ -14,17 +14,17 @@
 #You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 #along with autojump.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-#local data_dir=${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$([ -e ~/.local/share ] && echo ~/.local/share || echo ~)}
-local data_dir=$([ -e ~/.local/share ] && echo ~/.local/share || echo ~)
-if [[ "$data_dir" = "${HOME}" ]]
+#determine the data directory according to the XDG Base Directory Specification
+if [ -n "$XDG_DATA_HOME" ]
 then
-    export AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR=${data_dir}
+    export AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR="$XDG_DATA_HOME/autojump"
 else
-    export AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR=${data_dir}/autojump
+    export AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR=~/.local/share/autojump
 fi
+
 if [ ! -e "${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}" ]
 then
-    mkdir "${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}"
+    mkdir -p "${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}"
     mv ~/.autojump_py "${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}/autojump_py" 2>>/dev/null #migration
     mv ~/.autojump_py.bak "${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}/autojump_py.bak" 2>>/dev/null
     mv ~/.autojump_errors "${AUTOJUMP_DATA_DIR}/autojump_errors" 2>>/dev/null
diff --git a/jumpapplet b/jumpapplet
index a4dfc2e..7290b17 100755
--- a/jumpapplet
+++ b/jumpapplet
@@ -29,6 +29,15 @@ from autojump import open_dic,get_dic_file
 defaults={}
 actions={}
 
+#directory finding helpers, conforming to the XDG Base Directory Specification
+def data_dir():
+    xdg_data_dir = os.environ.get('XDG_DATA_HOME') or os.path.join(os.environ['HOME'], '.local', 'share')
+    return os.path.join(xdg_data_dir, 'autojump')
+
+def config_dir():
+    xdg_config_dir = os.environ.get('XDG_CONFIG_HOME') or os.path.join(os.environ['HOME'], '.config')
+    return os.path.join(xdg_config_dir, 'autojump')
+
 #decorator truff
 def action(validator,name=None):
     if name is None:
@@ -57,17 +66,22 @@ def has_child_file(filename):
         return os.path.isfile(os.path.join(path,filename))
     return wrapper
 
-#do the work
 def load_paths(maxpath=10):
     path_dict=open_dic(get_dic_file())
     path_dict=path_dict.items()
     path_dict.sort(key=lambda x: x[1],reverse=True)
     return [path for path,score in path_dict[:maxpath]]
 
-def load_settings_file(filename="~/.jumpapplet_py"):
+def load_settings_file():
+    filename = os.path.join(config_dir(), 'jumpapplet_py')
+    #migration from old location
+    old_filename =  os.path.join(os.environ['HOME'], '.jumpapplet_py')
+    if not os.path.exists(filename) and os.path.exists(old_filename):
+        os.rename(old_filename, filename)
+
     print "loading settings"
     global defaults
-    dic_file=os.path.expanduser(filename)
+    dic_file = filename
 
     try:
         aj_file=open(dic_file,'r')
@@ -85,9 +99,16 @@ def load_settings_file(filename="~/.jumpapplet_py"):
 
     create_actions()
 
-def save_settings_file(filename="~/.jumpapplet_py"):
+def save_settings_file(filename=None):
+    directory = config_dir()
+    if not filename:
+        filename = os.path.join(directory, 'jumpapplet_py')
+
+    if not os.path.exists(directory):
+        os.makedirs(directory)
+
     print "saving settings"
-    dic_file=os.path.expanduser(filename)
+    dic_file= filename
 
     aj_file=open(dic_file,'w')
     cPickle.dump(defaults,aj_file)