diff --git a/crypto/x509/by_dir.c b/crypto/x509/by_dir.c
index 6207340472e494787328755766bf3f97185c665c..d56679177bf4451c86b87f5164b252967e81035c 100644
--- a/crypto/x509/by_dir.c
+++ b/crypto/x509/by_dir.c
@@ -122,19 +122,19 @@ static int dir_ctrl(X509_LOOKUP *ctx, int cmd, const char *argp, long argl,
 		{
 	case X509_L_ADD_DIR:
 		if (argl == X509_FILETYPE_DEFAULT)
+			dir=(char *)Getenv(X509_get_default_cert_dir_env());
+			if (dir)
+			ret=add_cert_dir(ld,dir,X509_FILETYPE_PEM);
+			else
 			{
 			ret=add_cert_dir(ld,X509_get_default_cert_dir(),
 				X509_FILETYPE_PEM);
+			}
 			if (!ret)
 				{
 				X509err(X509_F_DIR_CTRL,X509_R_LOADING_CERT_DIR);
 				}
-			else
-				{
-				dir=(char *)Getenv(X509_get_default_cert_dir_env());
-				ret=add_cert_dir(ld,dir,X509_FILETYPE_PEM);
-				}
-			}
+
 		else
 			ret=add_cert_dir(ld,argp,(int)argl);
 		break;