diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index c7e2a30..12d672f 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 			"name": "vscode-ddp",
 			"version": "0.0.6",
 			"dependencies": {
+				"lookpath": "^1.2.2",
 				"vscode-languageclient": "^7.0.0"
 			},
 			"devDependencies": {
@@ -1592,6 +1593,17 @@
 				"url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
 			}
 		},
+		"node_modules/lookpath": {
+			"version": "1.2.2",
+			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/lookpath/-/lookpath-1.2.2.tgz",
+			"integrity": "sha512-k2Gmn8iV6qdME3ztZC2spubmQISimFOPLuQKiPaLcVdRz0IpdxrNClVepMlyTJlhodm/zG/VfbkWERm3kUIh+Q==",
+			"bin": {
+				"lookpath": "bin/lookpath.js"
+			},
+			"engines": {
+				"npm": ">=6.13.4"
+			}
+		},
 		"node_modules/lru-cache": {
 			"version": "6.0.0",
 			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/lru-cache/-/lru-cache-6.0.0.tgz",
@@ -3665,6 +3677,11 @@
 				"is-unicode-supported": "^0.1.0"
 			}
 		},
+		"lookpath": {
+			"version": "1.2.2",
+			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/lookpath/-/lookpath-1.2.2.tgz",
+			"integrity": "sha512-k2Gmn8iV6qdME3ztZC2spubmQISimFOPLuQKiPaLcVdRz0IpdxrNClVepMlyTJlhodm/zG/VfbkWERm3kUIh+Q=="
+		},
 		"lru-cache": {
 			"version": "6.0.0",
 			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/lru-cache/-/lru-cache-6.0.0.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index de357cf..f60d27d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@
 					"default": "",
 					"description": "if present this DDPLS binary is used instead of the one shipped with the extension or the global one"
 				},
+				"ddp.DDPLS.useSystemwideInstall": {
+					"type": "boolean",
+					"default": false,
+					"description": "if true the system-wide installed DDPLS is used instead of the one shipped with the extension"
+				},
 				"ddp.DDPLS.flags": {
 					"type": "array",
 					"default": [],
@@ -106,6 +111,7 @@
 		}
 	},
 	"dependencies": {
+		"lookpath": "^1.2.2",
 		"vscode-languageclient": "^7.0.0"
 	},
 	"scripts": {
@@ -128,4 +134,4 @@
 		"mocha": "^10.0.0",
 		"typescript": "^4.7.2"
 	}
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/extension.ts b/src/extension.ts
index a783e34..c41b241 100644
--- a/src/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extension.ts
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ import * as langsrv from 'vscode-languageclient/node';
 import * as path from 'path';
 import * as os from 'os';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
+import { lookpath } from 'lookpath';
 
 let DDPPATH = process.env.DDPPATH;
 
-export function activate(ctx: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
+export async function activate(ctx: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
 	console.log('ddp extension activated');
 
 	let out = vscode.window.createOutputChannel("vscode-ddp", "ddp");
@@ -20,29 +21,39 @@ export function activate(ctx: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
 
 	let config = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration('ddp');
 
-	let commandName = "DDPLS";
+	let ddplsCommand = os.platform() === 'win32' ? 'DDPLS.exe' : 'DDPLS';
 	{
-		let ddplsPath = ctx.asAbsolutePath(path.join('bin', os.platform() === 'win32' ? 'DDPLS.exe' : 'DDPLS'));
-		out.appendLine("bundled ddplsPath: " + ddplsPath);
+		let ddplsPath = ctx.asAbsolutePath(path.join('bin', ddplsCommand));
 		if (fs.existsSync(ddplsPath)) {
-			out.appendLine("using bundled DDPLS");
-			out.appendLine(ddplsPath);
-			commandName = ddplsPath;
+			out.appendLine("found bundled DDPLS: " + ddplsPath);
+			ddplsCommand = ddplsPath;
+		}
+	}
+	{
+		let useSystemLs = config.get<boolean>("DDPLS.useSystemwideInstall");
+		if (useSystemLs === true) {
+			let ddplsPath = await lookpath('DDPLS');
+			if (ddplsPath !== undefined) {
+				out.appendLine("using system-wide DDPLS: " + ddplsPath);
+				ddplsCommand = ddplsPath;
+			} else {
+				out.appendLine("no system-wide DDPLS found, falling back to bundled DDPLS");
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	{
 		let ddplsPath = config.get<string>("DDPLS.path");
 		if (ddplsPath !== "" && ddplsPath !== undefined) {
-			out.appendLine("using custom DDPLS path");
-			commandName = ddplsPath;
+			out.appendLine("using custom DDPLS path: " + ddplsPath);
+			ddplsCommand = ddplsPath;
 		}
 	}
 
 	let lsArgs = config.get<string[]>("DDPLS.flags");
 	// DDPLS must be installed and in the PATH
 	let serverOptions: langsrv.ServerOptions = {
-		run: { command: commandName, args: lsArgs },
-		debug: { command: commandName, args: lsArgs }
+		run: { command: ddplsCommand, args: lsArgs },
+		debug: { command: ddplsCommand, args: lsArgs }
 	};
 
 	let clientOptions: langsrv.LanguageClientOptions = {