diff --git a/src/util/os_installation.c b/src/util/os_installation.c
index 757dba4b6..4fce72ee9 100644
--- a/src/util/os_installation.c
+++ b/src/util/os_installation.c
@@ -1,701 +1,62 @@
 /*
-     This file is part of GNUnet.
-     Copyright (C) 2006-2014 GNUnet e.V.
+     This file is part of GNU Taler.
+     Copyright (C) 2016 Inria
 
-     GNUnet is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+     Taler is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
      it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published
      by the Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your
      option) any later version.
 
-     GNUnet is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+     Taler is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
      WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
      MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
      General Public License for more details.
 
      You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-     along with GNUnet; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to the
+     along with Taler; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to the
      Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
      Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
 */
 
 /**
  * @file os_installation.c
- * @brief get paths used by the program; based heavily on the
- *        corresponding GNUnet file, just adapted for Taler.
- * @author Milan
+ * @brief initialize libgnunet OS subsystem for Taler.
+ * @author Christian Grothoff
  */
 #include "platform.h"
 #include <gnunet/gnunet_util_lib.h>
-#if DARWIN
-#include <mach-o/ldsyms.h>
-#include <mach-o/dyld.h>
-#elif WINDOWS
-#include <windows.h>
-#endif
 
 
-#define LOG(kind,...) GNUNET_log_from (kind, "util", __VA_ARGS__)
-
-#define LOG_STRERROR_FILE(kind,syscall,filename) GNUNET_log_from_strerror_file (kind, "util", syscall, filename)
-
-
-#if LINUX
 /**
- * Try to determine path by reading /proc/PID/exe
- *
- * @return NULL on error
+ * Default project data used for installation path detection
+ * for GNU Taler.
  */
-static char *
-get_path_from_proc_maps ()
-{
-  char fn[64];
-  char line[1024];
-  char dir[1024];
-  FILE *f;
-  char *lgu;
+static const struct GNUNET_OS_ProjectData taler_pd = {
+  .libname = "libtalerutil",
+  .project_dirname = "taler",
+  .binary_name = "taler-exchange-httpd",
+  .env_varname = "TALER_PREFIX"
+};
 
-  GNUNET_snprintf (fn, sizeof (fn), "/proc/%u/maps", getpid ());
-  if (NULL == (f = FOPEN (fn, "r")))
-    return NULL;
-  while (NULL != fgets (line, sizeof (line), f))
-  {
-    if ((1 ==
-         SSCANF (line, "%*x-%*x %*c%*c%*c%*c %*x %*2x:%*2x %*u%*[ ]%1023s", dir)) &&
-        (NULL != (lgu = strstr (dir, "libtalerutil"))))
-    {
-      lgu[0] = '\0';
-      FCLOSE (f);
-      return GNUNET_strdup (dir);
-    }
-  }
-  FCLOSE (f);
-  return NULL;
+
+/**
+ * Return default project data used by gnunet-gtk.
+ */
+const struct GNUNET_OS_ProjectData *
+TALER_project_data_default (void)
+{
+  return &taler_pd;
 }
 
 
 /**
- * Try to determine path by reading /proc/PID/exe
- *
- * @return NULL on error
+ * Initialize libtalerutil.
  */
-static char *
-get_path_from_proc_exe ()
+void __attribute__ ((constructor))
+TALER_OS_init ()
 {
-  char fn[64];
-  char lnk[1024];
-  ssize_t size;
-
-  GNUNET_snprintf (fn, sizeof (fn), "/proc/%u/exe", getpid ());
-  size = readlink (fn, lnk, sizeof (lnk) - 1);
-  if (size <= 0)
-  {
-    LOG_STRERROR_FILE (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR, "readlink", fn);
-    return NULL;
-  }
-  GNUNET_assert (size < sizeof (lnk));
-  lnk[size] = '\0';
-  while ((lnk[size] != '/') && (size > 0))
-    size--;
-  /* test for being in lib/taler/libexec/ or lib/MULTIARCH/taler/libexec */
-  if ( (size > strlen ("/taler/libexec/")) &&
-       (0 == strcmp ("/taler/libexec/",
-		     &lnk[size - strlen ("/taler/libexec/")])) )
-    size -= strlen ("taler/libexec/");
-  if ((size < 4) || (lnk[size - 4] != '/'))
-  {
-    /* not installed in "/bin/" -- binary path probably useless */
-    return NULL;
-  }
-  lnk[size] = '\0';
-  return GNUNET_strdup (lnk);
+  GNUNET_OS_init (&taler_pd);
 }
-#endif
-
-
-#if WINDOWS
-static HINSTANCE dll_instance;
-
-
-/**
- * GNUNET_util_cl_init() in common_logging.c is preferred.
- * This function is only for thread-local storage (not used in GNUnet)
- * and hInstance saving.
- */
-BOOL WINAPI
-DllMain (HINSTANCE hinstDLL, DWORD fdwReason, LPVOID lpvReserved)
-{
-  switch (fdwReason)
-  {
-    case DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH:
-      dll_instance = hinstDLL;
-      break;
-    case DLL_THREAD_ATTACH:
-      break;
-    case DLL_THREAD_DETACH:
-      break;
-    case DLL_PROCESS_DETACH:
-      break;
-  }
-  return TRUE;
-}
-
-
-/**
- * Try to determine path with win32-specific function
- *
- * @return NULL on error
- */
-static char *
-get_path_from_module_filename ()
-{
-  size_t pathlen = 512;
-  DWORD real_pathlen;
-  wchar_t *idx;
-  wchar_t *modulepath = NULL;
-  char *upath;
-  uint8_t *u8_string;
-  size_t u8_string_length;
-
-  /* This braindead function won't tell us how much space it needs, so
-   * we start at 1024 and double the space up if it doesn't fit, until
-   * it fits, or we exceed the threshold.
-   */
-  do
-  {
-    pathlen = pathlen * 2;
-    modulepath = GNUNET_realloc (modulepath, pathlen * sizeof (wchar_t));
-    SetLastError (0);
-    real_pathlen = GetModuleFileNameW (dll_instance, modulepath, pathlen * sizeof (wchar_t));
-  } while (real_pathlen >= pathlen && pathlen < 16*1024);
-  if (real_pathlen >= pathlen)
-    GNUNET_assert (0);
-  /* To be safe */
-  modulepath[real_pathlen] = '\0';
-
-  idx = modulepath + real_pathlen;
-  while ((idx > modulepath) && (*idx != L'\\') && (*idx != L'/'))
-    idx--;
-  *idx = L'\0';
-
-  /* Now modulepath holds full path to the directory where libtalerutil is.
-   * This directory should look like <TALER_PREFIX>/bin or <TALER_PREFIX>.
-   */
-  if (wcschr (modulepath, L'/') || wcschr (modulepath, L'\\'))
-  {
-    /* At least one directory component (i.e. we're not in a root directory) */
-    wchar_t *dirname = idx;
-    while ((dirname > modulepath) && (*dirname != L'\\') && (*dirname != L'/'))
-      dirname--;
-    *dirname = L'\0';
-    if (dirname > modulepath)
-    {
-      dirname++;
-      /* Now modulepath holds full path to the parent directory of the directory
-       * where libtalerutil is.
-       * dirname holds the name of the directory where libtalerutil is.
-       */
-      if (wcsicmp (dirname, L"bin") == 0)
-      {
-        /* pass */
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        /* Roll back our changes to modulepath */
-        dirname--;
-        *dirname = L'/';
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  /* modulepath is TALER_PREFIX */
-  u8_string = u16_to_u8 (modulepath, wcslen (modulepath), NULL, &u8_string_length);
-  if (NULL == u8_string)
-    GNUNET_assert (0);
-
-  upath = GNUNET_malloc (u8_string_length + 1);
-  memcpy (upath, u8_string, u8_string_length);
-  upath[u8_string_length] = '\0';
-
-  free (u8_string);
-  GNUNET_free (modulepath);
-
-  return upath;
-}
-#endif
-
-
-#if DARWIN
-/**
- * Signature of the '_NSGetExecutablePath" function.
- *
- * @param buf where to write the path
- * @param number of bytes available in 'buf'
- * @return 0 on success, otherwise desired number of bytes is stored in 'bufsize'
- */
-typedef int (*MyNSGetExecutablePathProto) (char *buf, size_t * bufsize);
-
-
-/**
- * Try to obtain the path of our executable using '_NSGetExecutablePath'.
- *
- * @return NULL on error
- */
-static char *
-get_path_from_NSGetExecutablePath ()
-{
-  static char zero = '\0';
-  char *path;
-  size_t len;
-  MyNSGetExecutablePathProto func;
-
-  path = NULL;
-  if (NULL == (func =
-	       (MyNSGetExecutablePathProto) dlsym (RTLD_DEFAULT, "_NSGetExecutablePath")))
-    return NULL;
-  path = &zero;
-  len = 0;
-  /* get the path len, including the trailing \0 */
-  (void) func (path, &len);
-  if (0 == len)
-    return NULL;
-  path = GNUNET_malloc (len);
-  if (0 != func (path, &len))
-  {
-    GNUNET_free (path);
-    return NULL;
-  }
-  len = strlen (path);
-  while ((path[len] != '/') && (len > 0))
-    len--;
-  path[len] = '\0';
-  return path;
-}
-
-
-/**
- * Try to obtain the path of our executable using '_dyld_image' API.
- *
- * @return NULL on error
- */
-static char *
-get_path_from_dyld_image ()
-{
-  const char *path;
-  char *p;
-  char *s;
-  unsigned int i;
-  int c;
-
-  c = _dyld_image_count ();
-  for (i = 0; i < c; i++)
-  {
-    if (((const void *) _dyld_get_image_header (i)) != (const void *)&_mh_dylib_header)
-      continue;
-    path = _dyld_get_image_name (i);
-    if ( (NULL == path) || (0 == strlen (path)) )
-      continue;
-    p = GNUNET_strdup (path);
-    s = p + strlen (p);
-    while ((s > p) && ('/' != *s))
-      s--;
-    s++;
-    *s = '\0';
-    return p;
-  }
-  return NULL;
-}
-#endif
-
-
-/**
- * Return the actual path to a file found in the current
- * PATH environment variable.
- *
- * @param binary the name of the file to find
- * @return path to binary, NULL if not found
- */
-static char *
-get_path_from_PATH (const char *binary)
-{
-  char *path;
-  char *pos;
-  char *end;
-  char *buf;
-  const char *p;
-
-  if (NULL == (p = getenv ("PATH")))
-    return NULL;
-#if WINDOWS
-  /* On W32 look in CWD first. */
-  GNUNET_asprintf (&path, ".%c%s", PATH_SEPARATOR, p);
-#else
-  path = GNUNET_strdup (p);     /* because we write on it */
-#endif
-  buf = GNUNET_malloc (strlen (path) + strlen (binary) + 1 + 1);
-  pos = path;
-  while (NULL != (end = strchr (pos, PATH_SEPARATOR)))
-  {
-    *end = '\0';
-    sprintf (buf, "%s/%s", pos, binary);
-    if (GNUNET_DISK_file_test (buf) == GNUNET_YES)
-    {
-      pos = GNUNET_strdup (pos);
-      GNUNET_free (buf);
-      GNUNET_free (path);
-      return pos;
-    }
-    pos = end + 1;
-  }
-  sprintf (buf, "%s/%s", pos, binary);
-  if (GNUNET_YES == GNUNET_DISK_file_test (buf))
-  {
-    pos = GNUNET_strdup (pos);
-    GNUNET_free (buf);
-    GNUNET_free (path);
-    return pos;
-  }
-  GNUNET_free (buf);
-  GNUNET_free (path);
-  return NULL;
-}
-
-
-/**
- * Try to obtain the installation path using the "TALER_PREFIX" environment
- * variable.
- *
- * @return NULL on error (environment variable not set)
- */
-static char *
-get_path_from_TALER_PREFIX ()
-{
-  const char *p;
-
-  if (NULL != (p = getenv ("TALER_PREFIX")))
-    return GNUNET_strdup (p);
-  return NULL;
-}
-
-
-/**
- * @brief get the path to Taler bin/ or lib/, prefering the lib/ path
- * @author Milan
- *
- * @return a pointer to the executable path, or NULL on error
- */
-static char *
-os_get_taler_path ()
-{
-  char *ret;
-
-  if (NULL != (ret = get_path_from_TALER_PREFIX ()))
-    return ret;
-#if LINUX
-  if (NULL != (ret = get_path_from_proc_maps ()))
-    return ret;
-  /* try path *first*, before /proc/exe, as /proc/exe can be wrong */
-  if (NULL != (ret = get_path_from_PATH ("taler-exchange-httpd")))
-    return ret;
-  if (NULL != (ret = get_path_from_proc_exe ()))
-    return ret;
-#endif
-#if WINDOWS
-  if (NULL != (ret = get_path_from_module_filename ()))
-    return ret;
-#endif
-#if DARWIN
-  if (NULL != (ret = get_path_from_dyld_image ()))
-    return ret;
-  if (NULL != (ret = get_path_from_NSGetExecutablePath ()))
-    return ret;
-#endif
-  if (NULL != (ret = get_path_from_PATH ("taler-exchange-httpd")))
-    return ret;
-  /* other attempts here */
-  LOG (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_ERROR,
-       _("Could not determine installation path for %s.  Set `%s' environment variable.\n"),
-       "Taler", "TALER_PREFIX");
-  return NULL;
-}
-
-
-/**
- * @brief get the path to current app's bin/
- * @author Milan
- *
- * @return a pointer to the executable path, or NULL on error
- */
-static char *
-os_get_exec_path ()
-{
-  char *ret = NULL;
-
-#if LINUX
-  if (NULL != (ret = get_path_from_proc_exe ()))
-    return ret;
-#endif
-#if WINDOWS
-  if (NULL != (ret = get_path_from_module_filename ()))
-    return ret;
-#endif
-#if DARWIN
-  if (NULL != (ret = get_path_from_NSGetExecutablePath ()))
-    return ret;
-#endif
-  /* other attempts here */
-  return ret;
-}
-
-
-/**
- * @brief get the path to a specific Taler installation directory or,
- * with #GNUNET_OS_IPK_SELF_PREFIX, the current running apps installation directory
- * @author Milan
- * @return a pointer to the dir path (to be freed by the caller)
- */
-char *
-TALER_OS_installation_get_path (enum GNUNET_OS_InstallationPathKind dirkind)
-{
-  size_t n;
-  const char *dirname;
-  char *execpath = NULL;
-  char *tmp;
-  char *multiarch;
-  char *libdir;
-  int isbasedir;
-
-  /* if wanted, try to get the current app's bin/ */
-  if (dirkind == GNUNET_OS_IPK_SELF_PREFIX)
-    execpath = os_get_exec_path ();
-
-  /* try to get Taler's bin/ or lib/, or if previous was unsuccessful some
-   * guess for the current app */
-  if (NULL == execpath)
-    execpath = os_get_taler_path ();
-
-  if (NULL == execpath)
-    return NULL;
-
-  n = strlen (execpath);
-  if (0 == n)
-  {
-    /* should never happen, but better safe than sorry */
-    GNUNET_free (execpath);
-    return NULL;
-  }
-  /* remove filename itself */
-  while ((n > 1) && (DIR_SEPARATOR == execpath[n - 1]))
-    execpath[--n] = '\0';
-
-  isbasedir = 1;
-  if ((n > 6) &&
-      ((0 == strcasecmp (&execpath[n - 6], "/lib32")) ||
-       (0 == strcasecmp (&execpath[n - 6], "/lib64"))))
-  {
-    if ( (GNUNET_OS_IPK_LIBDIR != dirkind) &&
-	 (GNUNET_OS_IPK_LIBEXECDIR != dirkind) )
-    {
-      /* strip '/lib32' or '/lib64' */
-      execpath[n - 6] = '\0';
-      n -= 6;
-    }
-    else
-      isbasedir = 0;
-  }
-  else if ((n > 4) &&
-           ((0 == strcasecmp (&execpath[n - 4], "/bin")) ||
-            (0 == strcasecmp (&execpath[n - 4], "/lib"))))
-  {
-    /* strip '/bin' or '/lib' */
-    execpath[n - 4] = '\0';
-    n -= 4;
-  }
-  multiarch = NULL;
-  if (NULL != (libdir = strstr (execpath, "/lib/")))
-  {
-    /* test for multi-arch path of the form "PREFIX/lib/MULTIARCH/";
-       here we need to re-add 'multiarch' to lib and libexec paths later! */
-    multiarch = &libdir[5];
-    if (NULL == strchr (multiarch, '/'))
-      libdir[0] = '\0'; /* Debian multiarch format, cut of from 'execpath' but preserve in multicarch */
-    else
-      multiarch = NULL; /* maybe not, multiarch still has a '/', which is not OK */
-  }
-  /* in case this was a directory named foo-bin, remove "foo-" */
-  while ((n > 1) && (execpath[n - 1] == DIR_SEPARATOR))
-    execpath[--n] = '\0';
-  switch (dirkind)
-  {
-  case GNUNET_OS_IPK_PREFIX:
-  case GNUNET_OS_IPK_SELF_PREFIX:
-    dirname = DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-    break;
-  case GNUNET_OS_IPK_BINDIR:
-    dirname = DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "bin" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-    break;
-  case GNUNET_OS_IPK_LIBDIR:
-    if (isbasedir)
-    {
-      GNUNET_asprintf (&tmp,
-                       "%s%s%s%s%s",
-                       execpath,
-                       DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "lib",
-                       (NULL != multiarch) ? DIR_SEPARATOR_STR : "",
-                       (NULL != multiarch) ? multiarch : "",
-                       DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "taler" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR);
-      if (GNUNET_YES ==
-          GNUNET_DISK_directory_test (tmp, GNUNET_YES))
-      {
-        GNUNET_free (execpath);
-        return tmp;
-      }
-      GNUNET_free (tmp);
-      tmp = NULL;
-      if (4 == sizeof (void *))
-      {
-	dirname =
-	  DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "lib32" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "taler" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-	GNUNET_asprintf (&tmp,
-                         "%s%s",
-                         execpath,
-                         dirname);
-      }
-      if (8 == sizeof (void *))
-      {
-	dirname =
-	  DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "lib64" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "taler" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-	GNUNET_asprintf (&tmp,
-                         "%s%s",
-                         execpath,
-                         dirname);
-      }
-
-      if ( (NULL != tmp) &&
-           (GNUNET_YES ==
-            GNUNET_DISK_directory_test (tmp, GNUNET_YES)) )
-      {
-        GNUNET_free (execpath);
-        return tmp;
-      }
-      GNUNET_free (tmp);
-    }
-    dirname = DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "taler" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-    break;
-  case GNUNET_OS_IPK_DATADIR:
-    dirname =
-        DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "share" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "taler" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-    break;
-  case GNUNET_OS_IPK_LOCALEDIR:
-    dirname =
-        DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "share" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "locale" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-    break;
-  case GNUNET_OS_IPK_ICONDIR:
-    dirname =
-        DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "share" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "icons" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-    break;
-  case GNUNET_OS_IPK_DOCDIR:
-    dirname =
-        DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "share" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "doc" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR \
-        "gnunet" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-    break;
-  case GNUNET_OS_IPK_LIBEXECDIR:
-    if (isbasedir)
-    {
-      dirname =
-        DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "taler" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "libexec" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-      GNUNET_asprintf (&tmp,
-                       "%s%s%s%s",
-                       execpath,
-                       DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "lib" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR,
-                       (NULL != multiarch) ? multiarch : "",
-                       dirname);
-      if (GNUNET_YES ==
-          GNUNET_DISK_directory_test (tmp, GNUNET_YES))
-      {
-        GNUNET_free (execpath);
-        return tmp;
-      }
-      GNUNET_free (tmp);
-      tmp = NULL;
-      if (4 == sizeof (void *))
-      {
-	dirname =
-	  DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "lib32" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "taler" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR \
-	  "libexec" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-	GNUNET_asprintf (&tmp,
-                         "%s%s",
-                         execpath,
-                         dirname);
-      }
-      if (8 == sizeof (void *))
-      {
-	dirname =
-	  DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "lib64" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "taler" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR \
-	  "libexec" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-	GNUNET_asprintf (&tmp,
-                         "%s%s",
-                         execpath,
-                         dirname);
-      }
-      if ( (NULL != tmp) &&
-           (GNUNET_YES ==
-            GNUNET_DISK_directory_test (tmp, GNUNET_YES)) )
-      {
-        GNUNET_free (execpath);
-        return tmp;
-      }
-
-      GNUNET_free (tmp);
-    }
-    dirname =
-      DIR_SEPARATOR_STR "taler" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR \
-      "libexec" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR;
-    break;
-  default:
-    GNUNET_free (execpath);
-    return NULL;
-  }
-  GNUNET_asprintf (&tmp,
-                   "%s%s",
-                   execpath,
-                   dirname);
-  GNUNET_free (execpath);
-  return tmp;
-}
-
-
-/**
- * Given the name of a taler-helper, taler-service or taler-daemon
- * binary, try to prefix it with the libexec/-directory to get the
- * full path.
- *
- * @param progname name of the binary
- * @return full path to the binary, if possible, otherwise copy of 'progname'
- */
-char *
-TALER_OS_get_libexec_binary_path (const char *progname)
-{
-  static char *cache;
-  char *libexecdir;
-  char *binary;
-
-  if ( (DIR_SEPARATOR == progname[0]) ||
-       (GNUNET_YES == GNUNET_STRINGS_path_is_absolute (progname, GNUNET_NO, NULL, NULL)) )
-    return GNUNET_strdup (progname);
-  if (NULL != cache)
-    libexecdir = cache;
-  else
-    libexecdir = GNUNET_OS_installation_get_path (GNUNET_OS_IPK_LIBEXECDIR);
-  if (NULL == libexecdir)
-    return GNUNET_strdup (progname);
-  GNUNET_asprintf (&binary,
-		   "%s%s",
-		   libexecdir,
-		   progname);
-  cache = libexecdir;
-  return binary;
-}
-
 
 
 /* end of os_installation.c */
diff --git a/src/util/plugin.c b/src/util/plugin.c
index 6f8e03df6..65c28fa2b 100644
--- a/src/util/plugin.c
+++ b/src/util/plugin.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ plugin_init ()
   opath = lt_dlgetsearchpath ();
   if (NULL != opath)
     old_dlsearchpath = GNUNET_strdup (opath);
-  path = TALER_OS_installation_get_path (GNUNET_OS_IPK_LIBDIR);
+  path = GNUNET_OS_installation_get_path (GNUNET_OS_IPK_LIBDIR);
   if (NULL != path)
   {
     if (NULL != opath)