diff --git a/doc/manual.rst b/doc/manual.rst
index f6292ce..43decfe 100644
--- a/doc/manual.rst
+++ b/doc/manual.rst
@@ -1427,33 +1427,56 @@ Colors Files Search Locations
 -----------------------------
 
     When minetestmapper needs a colors file (colors.txt, heightmap-nodes.txt and
-    heightmap-colors.txt), it will search for in a few predefined locations, which
-    depend on your system and the way minetestmapper was built. In general, the
-    following locations can be searched:
+    heightmap-colors.txt), it will search for it in a few predefined locations, which
+    depend on the system it was built for, and the way minetestmapper was built.
+    In general, the following locations can be searched (ordered from most preferred
+    to least preferred):
+
+    In order to find out exactly where a specific copy of minetestmapper did look
+    for its files, use the option ``--verbose-search-colors=2``,
+
+    * The file specified on the command line. If a colors file of the appropriate type
+      was specified on the command-line, that file is used and no further locations
+      are searched, even if it does not exist, or cannot be found.
 
     * The directory of the world being mapped
 
-    * The directory two levels up from the directory of the world being mapped,
-      (i.e. the global minetest configuration directory) provided that that directory
+    * The directory two levels up from the directory of the world being mapped
+      (which would be the minetest configuration directory), provided that that directory
       contains a file 'minetest.conf'
 
     * The user's private minetest directory (``$HOME/.minetest``) - if the environment
-      variable ``$HOME`` exists.
+      variable ``$HOME`` exists. (it would probably be called ``%HOME%`` on Windows).
+
+      NOTE: on Windows, it would be more sensible to use ``%USERPROFILE%``, and search
+      another subdirectory than ``.minetest``. Please advise me about a suitable directory
+      to search - if at all (I am not a Windows user - I don't even own a copy of Windows...).
+
+    * On Windows only: if minetestmapper can determine its own location, which would
+      have one of the following formats:
+
+	``<path-with-drive>\bin\minetestmapper.exe``
+
+	``<path-with-drive>\minetestmapper.exe``
+
+      It searches the following directories:
+
+      * The directory ``<path-with-drive>\colors\``
+
+      * The directory ``<path-with-drive>\``
+
+      I.e.: if the last directory is '``bin``' (or '``BIN``', etc.), then that part
+      is removed from the path, and then the resulting path, with and without
+      '``colors``' appended, is searched.
 
     * The system directory corresponding to the location where minetestmapper
       is installed. Usually, this would be ``/usr/share/games/minetestmapper/``
-      or ``/usr/local/share/games/minetestmapper/``.
+      or ``/usr/local/share/games/minetestmapper/``. This location was configured
+      at *compile time*: moving minetestmapper around will not affect the search location.
 
     * For compatibility, in the current directory as a last resort.
       This causes a warning message to be printed.
 
-    If the location of a colors file was specified using the appropriate option
-    on the command-line, no further locations are searched for that type of
-    colors file.
-
-    In order to find out exactly where a specific copy of minetestmapper searched
-    its files, use the option ``--verbose-search-colors=2``,
-
 More Information
 ================
 
diff --git a/mapper.cpp b/mapper.cpp
index 14b560e..2ba79bb 100644
--- a/mapper.cpp
+++ b/mapper.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ using namespace std;
 
 // Will be replaced with the actual name and location of the executable (if found)
 string executableName = "minetestmapper";
+string executablePath;			// ONLY for use on windows
 string installPrefix = INSTALL_PREFIX;
 string nodeColorsDefaultFile = "colors.txt";
 string heightMapNodesDefaultFile = "heightmap-nodes.txt";
@@ -170,9 +171,43 @@ void parseDataFile(TileGenerator &generator, const string &input, string dataFil
 	if ((homedir = getenv("HOME"))) {
 		colorPaths.push_back(string(homedir) + PATH_SEPARATOR + ".minetest");
 	}
+// TODO: test/verify this (probably another subdirectory ('application data' or so) should be preferred)
+//#if MSDOS || __OS2__ || __NT__ || _WIN32
+//	if ((homedir = getenv("USERPROFILE"))) {
+//		colorPaths.push_back(string(homedir) + PATH_SEPARATOR + ".minetest");
+//	}
+//#endif
 
+#if MSDOS || __OS2__ || __NT__ || _WIN32 || DEBUG
+	// On windows, assume that argv[0] contains the full path location of minetestmapper.exe
+	// (i.e. where it is installed)
+	// On Unix, the path is usually absent from argv[0], and we don't want the behavior to
+	// depend on how it was invoked anyway.
+	// In DEBUG mode, do check the command-line path; so this code can at least be tested on
+	// Linux...
+	if (executablePath != "") {
+		size_t binpos = executablePath.find_last_of(PATH_SEPARATOR);
+		if (binpos != string::npos) {
+			string lastDir = executablePath.substr(binpos + 1);
+			for (size_t i=0; i < lastDir.size(); i++)
+				lastDir[i] = tolower(lastDir[i]);
+			if (lastDir == "bin") {
+				colorPaths.push_back(executablePath.substr(0, binpos) + PATH_SEPARATOR + "colors");
+				colorPaths.push_back(executablePath.substr(0, binpos));
+			}
+			else {
+				colorPaths.push_back(executablePath);
+				colorPaths.push_back(executablePath + PATH_SEPARATOR + "colors");
+			}
+		}
+		else {
+			colorPaths.push_back(executablePath);
+		}
+	}
+#endif
 	if (!installPrefix.empty()) {
 #if PACKAGING_FLAT
+		colorPaths.push_back(installPrefix + PATH_SEPARATOR + "colors");
 		colorPaths.push_back(installPrefix);
 #else
 		colorPaths.push_back(installPrefix + "/share/games/minetestmapper");
@@ -529,9 +564,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		if (pos == string::npos) {
 			if (!argv0.empty())
 				executableName = argv0;
+				executablePath = "";
 		}
 		else {
 			executableName = argv0.substr(pos + 1);
+			executablePath = argv0.substr(0, pos);
 		}
 	}