diff -up man-1.6f/src/manpath.c.old man-1.6f/src/manpath.c
diff -up man-1.6f/src/manpath.c.override_dir man-1.6f/src/manpath.c
--- man-1.6f/src/manpath.c.override_dir	2009-10-06 12:53:39.138070464 +0200
+++ man-1.6f/src/manpath.c	2009-10-06 12:53:51.551064991 +0200
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ char **mandirlist;
 static int mandirlistlth = 0;
 static int mandirlistmax = 0;
 
+/* Subdirectory of MANPATH entries searched for man pages before the directory itself. */
+#define OVERRIDES_DIR "/overrides"
+
 /*
  * Input: a string, with : as separator
  * For each entry in the string, call fn.
@@ -299,6 +302,17 @@ add_to_mandirlist (char *dir, int perrs)
 	}
 }
 
+/* Adds directory and its "overrides" subdirectory to man directory list. */
+static void
+add_to_mandirlist_with_override (char *dir, int perrs) {
+	char overrides[MAXPATHLEN];
+	strcpy(overrides, dir);
+	strcat(overrides, OVERRIDES_DIR);
+	add_to_mandirlist (overrides, perrs);
+
+	add_to_mandirlist (dir, perrs);
+}
+
 /*
  * For each directory in the user's path, see if it is one of the
  * directories listed in the man.conf file.  If so, and it is
@@ -323,6 +337,7 @@ get_manpath_from_pathdir (char *dir, int
 	/*
 	 * The directory we're working on is in the config file.
 	 * If we haven't added it to the list yet, do.
+	 * Also add the overrides subdirectory.
 	 */
 	if (*dir) {
 		for (dlp = cfdirlist.nxt; dlp; dlp = dlp->nxt) {
@@ -330,7 +345,7 @@ get_manpath_from_pathdir (char *dir, int
 				if (debug)
 					gripe (IS_IN_CONFIG);
 		  
-				add_to_mandirlist (dlp->mandir, perrs);
+				add_to_mandirlist_with_override (dlp->mandir, perrs);
 				return;
 			}
 		}
@@ -368,8 +383,8 @@ add_default_manpath (int perrs) {
 	  gripe (ADDING_MANDIRS);
 
      for (dlp = cfdirlist.nxt; dlp; dlp = dlp->nxt)
-	  if (dlp->mandatory)
-	       add_to_mandirlist (dlp->mandir, perrs);
+         if (dlp->mandatory)
+	        add_to_mandirlist_with_override (dlp->mandir, perrs);
 }
 
 static void