diff --git a/cvpcb/cfg.cpp b/cvpcb/cfg.cpp
index bd043b986f..9bface0d68 100644
--- a/cvpcb/cfg.cpp
+++ b/cvpcb/cfg.cpp
@@ -101,11 +101,11 @@ void CVPCB_MAINFRAME::LoadProjectFile( const wxString& aFileName )
     wxFileName projectFpLibTableFileName;
 
     projectFpLibTableFileName = FP_LIB_TABLE::GetProjectFileName( fn );
+    FP_LIB_TABLE::SetProjectPathEnvVariable( projectFpLibTableFileName );
 
     try
     {
         m_footprintLibTable->Load( projectFpLibTableFileName, m_globalFootprintTable );
-        FP_LIB_TABLE::SetProjectPathEnvVariable( projectFpLibTableFileName );
     }
     catch( IO_ERROR ioe )
     {
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcbnew_config.cpp b/pcbnew/pcbnew_config.cpp
index a2f8d9d6b7..9b4cf28744 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcbnew_config.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcbnew_config.cpp
@@ -249,6 +249,8 @@ bool PCB_EDIT_FRAME::LoadProjectSettings( const wxString& aProjectFileName )
     // Check if a project footprint table is defined and load it.  If no project footprint
     // table is defined, then the global library table is the footprint library table.
 #if defined( USE_FP_LIB_TABLE )
+    FP_LIB_TABLE::SetProjectPathEnvVariable( fn );
+
     delete m_footprintLibTable;
 
     wxFileName projectFpLibTableFileName;
@@ -274,8 +276,6 @@ bool PCB_EDIT_FRAME::LoadProjectSettings( const wxString& aProjectFileName )
 
     if( viewFrame )
         viewFrame->SetFootprintLibTable( m_footprintLibTable );
-
-    FP_LIB_TABLE::SetProjectPathEnvVariable( fn );
 #endif
 
     // Load the page layout decr file, from the filename stored in