diff --git a/btcutil/appdata.go b/btcutil/appdata.go
index b6c63b9a..8baf996f 100644
--- a/btcutil/appdata.go
+++ b/btcutil/appdata.go
@@ -29,18 +29,14 @@ func appDataDir(goos, appName string, roaming bool) string {
 	appNameUpper := string(unicode.ToUpper(rune(appName[0]))) + appName[1:]
 	appNameLower := string(unicode.ToLower(rune(appName[0]))) + appName[1:]
 
-	// Get the OS specific home directory via the Go standard lib.
 	var homeDir string
-	usr, err := user.Current()
-	if err == nil {
-		homeDir = usr.HomeDir
-	}
+	// If HOME is set, use it
+	homeDir = os.Getenv("HOME")
 
-	// Fall back to standard HOME environment variable that works
-	// for most POSIX OSes if the directory from the Go standard
-	// lib failed.
+	// If not, Get the OS specific home directory via the Go standard lib.
+	usr, err := user.Current()
 	if err != nil || homeDir == "" {
-		homeDir = os.Getenv("HOME")
+		homeDir = usr.HomeDir
 	}
 
 	switch goos {