--- /usr/lib/python2.6/distutils/command/install.py~	2009-10-29 17:23:25.000000000 +0100
+++ /usr/lib/python2.6/distutils/command/install.py	2009-11-07 09:32:09.644016015 +0100
@@ -446,7 +446,9 @@
                       "installation scheme is incomplete")
             return
 
-        if self.user:
+        if self.user or 'PYTHONUSERBASE' in os.environ:
+            if 'PYTHONUSERBASE' in os.environ:
+                self.install_userbase = os.environ['PYTHONUSERBASE']
             if self.install_userbase is None:
                 raise DistutilsPlatformError(
                     "User base directory is not specified")