diff --git a/Cantera/src/SConscript b/Cantera/src/SConscript
index 4ebb6ceef..647abb22f 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/SConscript
+++ b/Cantera/src/SConscript
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ Import('env','buildTargets','installTargets')
 def defaultSetup(env, subdir, extensions):
     return mglob(env, subdir, *extensions)
 
+def baseSetup(env, subdir, extensions):
+    escaped_datadir = '\\"' + env['ct_datadir'].replace('\\', '\\\\') + '\\"'
+    env.Append(CPPDEFINES={'CANTERA_DATA': escaped_datadir})
+    return defaultSetup(env, subdir, extensions)
+
 def equilSetup(env, subdir, extensions):
     env.Append(CPPPATH=['#ext/f2c_libs'])
     return defaultSetup(env, subdir, extensions)
@@ -18,7 +23,7 @@ def numericsSetup(env, subdir, extensions):
             if s.name != remove]
 
 # (subdir, library name, (file extensions), (extra setup(env)))
-libs = [('base', 'ctbase', ['cpp'], defaultSetup),
+libs = [('base', 'ctbase', ['cpp'], baseSetup),
         ('thermo', 'thermo', ['cpp'], defaultSetup),
         ('equil', 'equil', ['cpp','c'], equilSetup),
         ('converters', 'converters', ['cpp'], defaultSetup),
@@ -33,7 +38,7 @@ libs = [('base', 'ctbase', ['cpp'], defaultSetup),
 for subdir, libname, extensions, setup in libs:
     localenv = env.Clone()
     source = setup(localenv, subdir, extensions)
-    for header in mglob(localenv, subdir, 'h'):      
+    for header in mglob(localenv, subdir, 'h'):
         h = localenv.Command('../include/cantera/kernel/%s' % header.name, header,
                              Copy('$TARGET', '$SOURCE'))
         buildTargets.extend(h)
diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/config.h.in b/Cantera/src/base/config.h.in
index 744b2f05a..83413447d 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/base/config.h.in
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/config.h.in
@@ -128,13 +128,6 @@ typedef  int          ftnlen;       // Fortran hidden string length type
 // present to support conversions
 %(HAS_NO_PYTHON)s
 
-//--------------------- Cantera ----------------------------------- 
-// This data pathway is used to locate a directory where datafiles
-// are to be found. Note, the local directory is always searched
-// as well. 
-%(CANTERA_DATA)s
-
-
 %(WITH_HTML_LOGS)s
 
 //--------------------- compile options ----------------------------
diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 8297ddd7a..22a7f0bdf 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -760,8 +760,6 @@ cdefine('LAPACK_NAMES_LOWERCASE', 'lapack_names', 'lower')
 configh['RXNPATH_FONT'] = quoted(env['rpfont'])
 cdefine('THREAD_SAFE_CANTERA', 'build_thread_safe')
 cdefine('HAS_SSTREAM', 'HAS_SSTREAM')
-escaped_datadir = env['ct_datadir'].replace('\\', '\\\\')
-configh['CANTERA_DATA'] = quoted(escaped_datadir)
 
 if not env['HAS_MATH_H_ERF']:
     if env['HAS_BOOST_MATH']: