--- a/src/java/org/apache/ivy/ant/IvyAntSettings.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/ivy/ant/IvyAntSettings.java
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ public class IvyAntSettings extends DataType {
         File[] settingsLocations = new File[] {
                 new File(getProject().getBaseDir(), settingsFileName),
                 new File(getProject().getBaseDir(), "ivyconf.xml"), new File(settingsFileName),
-                new File("ivyconf.xml")};
+                new File("ivyconf.xml"), new File("/etc/ivy/ivysettings.xml")};
         for (File settingsFile : settingsLocations) {
             task.log("searching settings file: trying " + settingsFile, Project.MSG_VERBOSE);
             if (settingsFile.exists()) {