diff --git usertable.cpp usertable.cpp
index 11fd04b..a8681bd 100644
--- a/usertable.cpp
+++ b/usertable.cpp
@@ -43,9 +43,6 @@
 #define DONT_FOLLOW(mask) (false)
 #endif // IN_DONT_FOLLOW
 
-// this is not enough, but...
-#define DEFAULT_PATH "/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin"
-
 
 PROC_MAP UserTable::s_procMap;
 
@@ -597,12 +594,20 @@ void UserTable::RunAsUser(std::string cmd) const
     if (clearenv() != 0)
       goto failed;
 
+    // try to recreate the user path as best as possible
+    std::string DEFAULT_PATH;
+    DEFAULT_PATH += "/run/wrappers/bin:";
+    DEFAULT_PATH += pwd->pw_dir;
+    DEFAULT_PATH += "/.nix-profile/bin:/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/bin:/run/current-system/sw/bin:/etc/profiles/per-user/";
+    DEFAULT_PATH += pwd->pw_name;
+    DEFAULT_PATH += "/bin";
+
     if (    setenv("LOGNAME",   pwd->pw_name,   1) != 0
         ||  setenv("USER",      pwd->pw_name,   1) != 0
         ||  setenv("USERNAME",  pwd->pw_name,   1) != 0
         ||  setenv("HOME",      pwd->pw_dir,    1) != 0
         ||  setenv("SHELL",     pwd->pw_shell,  1) != 0
-        ||  setenv("PATH",      DEFAULT_PATH,   1) != 0)
+        ||  setenv("PATH",      DEFAULT_PATH.c_str(),   1) != 0)
     {
       goto failed;
     }