diff --git a/templates/cpp-template-default/CMakeLists.txt b/templates/cpp-template-default/CMakeLists.txt
index 3c4a78b805..5fb54f22a2 100644
--- a/templates/cpp-template-default/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/templates/cpp-template-default/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -36,7 +36,12 @@ if(XCODE)
 endif()
 
 if(NOT DEFINED BUILD_ENGINE_DONE) # to test HelloCpp into root project
-    set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cocos2d)
+    if(NOT ("$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}" STREQUAL ""))
+        message(STATUS "Using system env var COCOS2DX_ROOT=$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}")
+        set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH "$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}")
+    else
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "Please add system env var 'COCOS2DX_ROOT' to specific the engine root")
+    endif()
     set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH}/cmake/Modules/)
 
     include(CocosBuildSet)
diff --git a/templates/lua-template-default/CMakeLists.txt b/templates/lua-template-default/CMakeLists.txt
index ba776c86ff..947926916d 100644
--- a/templates/lua-template-default/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/templates/lua-template-default/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,8 +33,15 @@ if(XCODE)
     endif()
 endif()
 
+if(NOT ("$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}" STREQUAL ""))
+    message(STATUS "Using system env var COCOS2DX_ROOT=$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}")
+    set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH "$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}")
+else
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "Please add system env var 'COCOS2DX_ROOT' to specific the engine root")
+endif()
+
 set(RUNTIME_SRC_ROOT ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/frameworks/runtime-src)
-set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/frameworks/cocos2d-x)
+
 set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH}/cmake/Modules/)
 
 include(CocosBuildSet)
diff --git a/tests/cpp-tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/cpp-tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 7520723195..df8e1e6a70 100644
--- a/tests/cpp-tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/cpp-tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,7 +11,13 @@ if(XCODE)
 endif()
 
 if(NOT DEFINED BUILD_ENGINE_DONE)
-    set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../..)
+    if(NOT ("$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}" STREQUAL ""))
+        message(STATUS "Using system env var COCOS2DX_ROOT=$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}")
+        set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH "$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}")
+    else
+        set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../..)
+    endif()
+
     set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH}/cmake/Modules/)
 
     include(CocosBuildSet)
diff --git a/tests/fairygui-tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/fairygui-tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 47b48b373a..eccc3a5de8 100644
--- a/tests/fairygui-tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/fairygui-tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -34,7 +34,12 @@ if(XCODE)
 endif()
 
 if(NOT DEFINED BUILD_ENGINE_DONE)
-    set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../..)
+    if(NOT ("$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}" STREQUAL ""))
+        message(STATUS "Using system env var COCOS2DX_ROOT=$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}")
+        set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH "$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}")
+    else
+        set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../..)
+    endif()
     set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH}/cmake/Modules/)
 
     include(CocosBuildSet)
diff --git a/tests/lua-tests/project/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/lua-tests/project/CMakeLists.txt
index 5b755e9537..30edc9f281 100644
--- a/tests/lua-tests/project/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/lua-tests/project/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@ if(XCODE)
 endif()
 
 if(NOT DEFINED BUILD_ENGINE_DONE)
-    set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../../..)
+    if(NOT ("$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}" STREQUAL ""))
+        message(STATUS "Using system env var COCOS2DX_ROOT=$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}")
+        set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH "$ENV{COCOS2DX_ROOT}")
+    else
+        set(COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../../..)
+    endif()
     set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${COCOS2DX_ROOT_PATH}/cmake/Modules/)
 
     include(CocosBuildSet)