--- a/desktop/scripts/soffice.sh	
+++ a/desktop/scripts/soffice.sh	
@@ -147,6 +147,9 @@ if echo "$checks" | grep -q "cc" ; then
     exit 1;
 fi
 
+PYTHONPATH=$sd_prog${PYTHONPATH+:$PYTHONPATH}
+export PYTHONPATH
+
 case "$(uname -s)" in
 NetBSD|OpenBSD|DragonFly)
 # this is a temporary hack until we can live with the default search paths
--- a/pyuno/source/module/uno.py	
+++ a/pyuno/source/module/uno.py	
@@ -16,11 +16,16 @@ 
 #   except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of
 #   the License at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 .
 #
+import os
 import pyuno
 import sys
 import traceback
 import warnings
 
+sys.path.append('%eprefix%/usr/%libdir%/libreoffice/program')
+if getattr(os.environ, 'URE_BOOTSTRAP', None) is None:
+    os.environ['URE_BOOTSTRAP'] = "vnd.sun.star.pathname:%eprefix%/usr/%libdir%/libreoffice/program/fundamentalrc"
+
 # since on Windows sal3.dll no longer calls WSAStartup
 import socket
 
--- a/pyuno/source/officehelper.py	
+++ a/pyuno/source/officehelper.py	
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def bootstrap():
         if "UNO_PATH" in os.environ:
             sOffice = os.environ["UNO_PATH"]
         else:
-            sOffice = "" # lets hope for the best
+            sOffice = "%eprefix%/usr/%libdir%/libreoffice/program"
         sOffice = os.path.join(sOffice, "soffice")
         if platform.startswith("win"):
             sOffice += ".exe"