diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 56d0910d22..a181a35098 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@
     Bug #6579: OpenMW compilation error when using OSG doubles for BoundingSphere
     Feature #890: OpenMW-CS: Column filtering
     Feature #1465: "Reset" argument for AI functions
+    Feature #2491: Ability to make OpenMW "portable"
     Feature #2554: Modifying an object triggers the instances table to scroll to the corresponding record
     Feature #2780: A way to see current OpenMW version in the console
     Feature #3616: Allow Zoom levels on the World Map
diff --git a/apps/openmw/engine.cpp b/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
index 9e2e1aedad..50053b8b76 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
@@ -520,20 +520,26 @@ void OMW::Engine::setSkipMenu (bool skipMenu, bool newGame)
 
 std::string OMW::Engine::loadSettings (Settings::Manager & settings)
 {
-    // Create the settings manager and load default settings file
-    const std::string localdefault = (mCfgMgr.getLocalPath() / "defaults.bin").string();
-    const std::string globaldefault = (mCfgMgr.getGlobalPath() / "defaults.bin").string();
+    const std::vector<boost::filesystem::path>& paths = mCfgMgr.getActiveConfigPaths();
+    if (paths.empty())
+        throw std::runtime_error("No config dirs! ConfigurationManager::readConfiguration must be called first.");
 
-    // prefer local
-    if (boost::filesystem::exists(localdefault))
-        settings.loadDefault(localdefault);
-    else if (boost::filesystem::exists(globaldefault))
-        settings.loadDefault(globaldefault);
-    else
+    // Create the settings manager and load default settings file.
+    const std::string defaultsBin = (paths.front() / "defaults.bin").string();
+    if (!boost::filesystem::exists(defaultsBin))
         throw std::runtime_error ("No default settings file found! Make sure the file \"defaults.bin\" was properly installed.");
+    settings.loadDefault(defaultsBin);
+
+    // Load "settings.cfg" from every config dir except the last one as additional default settings.
+    for (int i = 0; i < static_cast<int>(paths.size()) - 1; ++i)
+    {
+        const std::string additionalDefaults = (paths[i] / "settings.cfg").string();
+        if (boost::filesystem::exists(additionalDefaults))
+            settings.loadDefault(additionalDefaults, true);
+    }
 
-    // load user settings if they exist
-    std::string settingspath = (mCfgMgr.getUserConfigPath() / "settings.cfg").string();
+    // Load "settings.cfg" from the last config as user settings if they exist. This path will be used to save modified settings.
+    std::string settingspath = (paths.back() / "settings.cfg").string();
     if (boost::filesystem::exists(settingspath))
         settings.loadUser(settingspath);
 
diff --git a/components/settings/parser.cpp b/components/settings/parser.cpp
index f2419dfdd6..dd1b8c1a20 100644
--- a/components/settings/parser.cpp
+++ b/components/settings/parser.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 
 #include <Base64.h>
 
-void Settings::SettingsFileParser::loadSettingsFile(const std::string& file, CategorySettingValueMap& settings, bool base64Encoded)
+void Settings::SettingsFileParser::loadSettingsFile(const std::string& file, CategorySettingValueMap& settings,
+                                                    bool base64Encoded, bool overrideExisting)
 {
     mFile = file;
     boost::filesystem::ifstream fstream;
@@ -73,7 +74,9 @@ void Settings::SettingsFileParser::loadSettingsFile(const std::string& file, Cat
         std::string value = line.substr(valueBegin);
         Misc::StringUtils::trim(value);
 
-        if (settings.insert(std::make_pair(std::make_pair(currentCategory, setting), value)).second == false)
+        if (overrideExisting)
+            settings[std::make_pair(currentCategory, setting)] = value;
+        else if (settings.insert(std::make_pair(std::make_pair(currentCategory, setting), value)).second == false)
             fail(std::string("duplicate setting: [" + currentCategory + "] " + setting));
     }
 }
diff --git a/components/settings/parser.hpp b/components/settings/parser.hpp
index 45b1a18f72..c934fbea07 100644
--- a/components/settings/parser.hpp
+++ b/components/settings/parser.hpp
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ namespace Settings
     class SettingsFileParser
     {
     public:
-        void loadSettingsFile(const std::string& file, CategorySettingValueMap& settings, bool base64encoded = false);
+        void loadSettingsFile(const std::string& file, CategorySettingValueMap& settings,
+                              bool base64encoded = false, bool overrideExisting = false);
 
         void saveSettingsFile(const std::string& file, const CategorySettingValueMap& settings);
 
diff --git a/components/settings/settings.cpp b/components/settings/settings.cpp
index 7fa625e4ab..09e74b348b 100644
--- a/components/settings/settings.cpp
+++ b/components/settings/settings.cpp
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ void Manager::clear()
     mChangedSettings.clear();
 }
 
-void Manager::loadDefault(const std::string &file)
+void Manager::loadDefault(const std::string &file, bool overrideExisting)
 {
     SettingsFileParser parser;
-    parser.loadSettingsFile(file, mDefaultSettings, true);
+    parser.loadSettingsFile(file, mDefaultSettings, true, overrideExisting);
 }
 
 void Manager::loadUser(const std::string &file)
diff --git a/components/settings/settings.hpp b/components/settings/settings.hpp
index a4b1cf3a54..84e7066fbd 100644
--- a/components/settings/settings.hpp
+++ b/components/settings/settings.hpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ namespace Settings
         void clear();
         ///< clears all settings and default settings
 
-        void loadDefault (const std::string& file);
+        void loadDefault (const std::string& file, bool overrideExisting = false);
         ///< load file as the default settings (can be overridden by user settings)
 
         void loadUser (const std::string& file);