diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 7a54492009..3930be2748 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ option(USE_VCPKG_LIBUV "Use vcpkg libuv" OFF)
 option(USE_VCPKG_EIGEN "Use vcpkg eigen" OFF)
 option(FLAT_INSTALL_WPILIB "Use a flat install directory" OFF)
 option(WITH_SIMULATION_MODULES "build simulation modules" OFF)
+set(OPENCV_JAVA_INSTALL_DIR "" CACHE PATH "Location to search for the OpenCV jar file")
 
 if (NOT WITHOUT_JAVA AND NOT BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
     message(FATAL_ERROR "
@@ -64,6 +65,15 @@ FATAL: Cannot build static libs with Java enabled.
 ")
 endif()
 
+if (WITHOUT_JAVA OR WITHOUT_CSCORE)
+    if(NOT "${OPENCV_JAVA_INSTALL_DIR}" STREQUAL "")
+        message(WARNING "
+WARNING: OpenCV Java dir set but java is not enabled!
+It will be ignored.
+")
+    endif()
+endif()
+
 set( wpilib_dest wpilib)
 set( include_dest wpilib/include )
 set( main_lib_dest wpilib/lib )
diff --git a/README-CMAKE.md b/README-CMAKE.md
index 68e817548a..52edec0979 100644
--- a/README-CMAKE.md
+++ b/README-CMAKE.md
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ The following build options are available:
   * TODO
 * EXTERNAL_HAL_FILE
   * TODO
+* OPENCV_JAVA_INSTALL_DIR
+  * Set this option to the location of the archive of the OpenCV Java bindings (it should be called opencv-xxx.jar, with the x'es being version numbers). NOTE: set it to the LOCATION of the file, not the file itself!
 
 ## Build Setup
 
diff --git a/cscore/CMakeLists.txt b/cscore/CMakeLists.txt
index a87ab7d539..f5b4751d2f 100644
--- a/cscore/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cscore/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ if (NOT WITHOUT_JAVA)
 
     #find java files, copy them locally
 
-    set(OPENCV_JAVA_INSTALL_DIR ${OpenCV_INSTALL_PATH}/share/OpenCV/java/)
+    if("${OPENCV_JAVA_INSTALL_DIR}" STREQUAL "")
+        set(OPENCV_JAVA_INSTALL_DIR ${OpenCV_INSTALL_PATH}/share/OpenCV/java/)
+    endif()
 
     find_file(OPENCV_JAR_FILE NAMES opencv-${OpenCV_VERSION_MAJOR}${OpenCV_VERSION_MINOR}${OpenCV_VERSION_PATCH}.jar PATHS ${OPENCV_JAVA_INSTALL_DIR} ${OpenCV_INSTALL_PATH}/bin NO_DEFAULT_PATH)
     find_file(OPENCV_JNI_FILE NAMES libopencv_java${OpenCV_VERSION_MAJOR}${OpenCV_VERSION_MINOR}${OpenCV_VERSION_PATCH}.so