diff --git a/pkg/plugin/installer/base.go b/pkg/plugin/installer/base.go
index dcc3ad644..585282ea3 100644
--- a/pkg/plugin/installer/base.go
+++ b/pkg/plugin/installer/base.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package installer // import "helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/plugin/installer"
 
 import (
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/helmpath"
@@ -35,5 +36,9 @@ func (b *base) Path() string {
 	if b.Source == "" {
 		return ""
 	}
+	helmPluginsDir := os.Getenv("HELM_PLUGINS")
+	if helmPluginsDir != "" {
+		return filepath.Join(helmPluginsDir, filepath.Base(b.Source))
+	}
 	return helmpath.DataPath("plugins", filepath.Base(b.Source))
 }
diff --git a/pkg/plugin/installer/base_test.go b/pkg/plugin/installer/base_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..90b7f5692
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/plugin/installer/base_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/*
+Copyright The Helm Authors.
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package installer // import "helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/plugin/installer"
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestPath(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		source         string
+		helmPluginsDir string
+		expectPath     string
+	}{
+		{
+			source:         "",
+			helmPluginsDir: "/helm/data/plugins",
+			expectPath:     "",
+		}, {
+			source:         "https://github.com/jkroepke/helm-secrets",
+			helmPluginsDir: "/helm/data/plugins",
+			expectPath:     "/helm/data/plugins/helm-secrets",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+
+		baseIns := newBase(tt.source)
+		os.Setenv("HELM_PLUGINS", tt.helmPluginsDir)
+		baseInsPath := baseIns.Path()
+		if baseInsPath != tt.expectPath {
+			t.Errorf("expected name %s, got %s", tt.expectPath, baseInsPath)
+		}
+	}
+
+	defer os.Unsetenv("HELM_PLUGINS")
+}