diff --git a/stream/stream_dvb.c b/stream/stream_dvb.c
index 8b40b44a3f..b7976db509 100644
--- a/stream/stream_dvb.c
+++ b/stream/stream_dvb.c
@@ -815,6 +815,12 @@ dvb_config_t *dvb_get_config(void)
 			if(conf_file)
 				free(conf_file);
 			conf_file = get_path("channels.conf");
+			if((access(conf_file, F_OK | R_OK) != 0))
+			{
+				if(conf_file)
+					free(conf_file);
+				conf_file = strdup(MPLAYER_CONFDIR "/channels.conf");
+			}
 		}
 
 		list = dvb_get_channels(conf_file, type);