diff --git a/jps/model-serialization/src/org/jetbrains/jps/model/serialization/JpsModelSerializationDataService.java b/jps/model-serialization/src/org/jetbrains/jps/model/serialization/JpsModelSerializationDataService.java
index 546143ba35d9..a50af9c13602 100644
--- a/jps/model-serialization/src/org/jetbrains/jps/model/serialization/JpsModelSerializationDataService.java
+++ b/jps/model-serialization/src/org/jetbrains/jps/model/serialization/JpsModelSerializationDataService.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public class JpsModelSerializationDataService {
   }
 
   public static Map<String, String> computeAllPathVariables(JpsGlobal global) {
-    Map<String, String> pathVariables = new HashMap<>(PathMacroUtil.getGlobalSystemMacros());
+    Map<String, String> pathVariables = new HashMap<>(PathMacroUtil.getGlobalSystemMacros(false));
     JpsPathVariablesConfiguration configuration = getPathVariablesConfiguration(global);
     if (configuration != null) {
       pathVariables.putAll(configuration.getAllUserVariables());
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ public class JpsModelSerializationDataService {
 
   @Nullable
   public static String getPathVariableValue(@NotNull JpsGlobal global, @NotNull String name) {
-    String value = PathMacroUtil.getGlobalSystemMacroValue(name);
+    String value = PathMacroUtil.getGlobalSystemMacroValue(name, false);
     if (value != null) {
       return value;
     }
diff --git a/jps/model-serialization/src/org/jetbrains/jps/model/serialization/PathMacroUtil.java b/jps/model-serialization/src/org/jetbrains/jps/model/serialization/PathMacroUtil.java
index da60bda7c3ad..3d94b4c9838f 100644
--- a/jps/model-serialization/src/org/jetbrains/jps/model/serialization/PathMacroUtil.java
+++ b/jps/model-serialization/src/org/jetbrains/jps/model/serialization/PathMacroUtil.java
@@ -32,11 +32,8 @@ public class PathMacroUtil {
   @NonNls public static final String APPLICATION_PLUGINS_DIR = "APPLICATION_PLUGINS_DIR";
   @NonNls public static final String USER_HOME_NAME = "USER_HOME";
 
-  private static final Map<String, String> ourGlobalMacros = ContainerUtil.<String, String>immutableMapBuilder()
-    .put(APPLICATION_HOME_DIR, toSystemIndependentName(PathManager.getHomePath()))
-    .put(APPLICATION_CONFIG_DIR, toSystemIndependentName(PathManager.getConfigPath()))
-    .put(APPLICATION_PLUGINS_DIR, toSystemIndependentName(PathManager.getPluginsPath()))
-    .put(USER_HOME_NAME, StringUtil.trimEnd(toSystemIndependentName(SystemProperties.getUserHome()), "/")).build();
+  private static volatile Map<String, String> ourGlobalMacrosForIde;
+  private static volatile Map<String, String> ourGlobalMacrosForStandalone;
 
   @Nullable
   public static String getModuleDir(@NotNull String moduleFilePath) {
@@ -66,11 +63,57 @@ public class PathMacroUtil {
 
   @NotNull
   public static Map<String, String> getGlobalSystemMacros() {
-    return ourGlobalMacros;
+    return getGlobalSystemMacros(true);
+  }
+
+  @NotNull
+  public static Map<String, String> getGlobalSystemMacros(boolean insideIde) {
+    if (insideIde) {
+      if (ourGlobalMacrosForIde == null) {
+        ourGlobalMacrosForIde = computeGlobalPathMacrosInsideIde();
+      }
+      return ourGlobalMacrosForIde;
+    }
+    else {
+      if (ourGlobalMacrosForStandalone == null) {
+        ourGlobalMacrosForStandalone = computeGlobalPathMacrosForStandaloneCode();
+      }
+      return ourGlobalMacrosForStandalone;
+    }
+  }
+
+  private static Map<String, String> computeGlobalPathMacrosForStandaloneCode() {
+    ContainerUtil.ImmutableMapBuilder<String, String> builder = ContainerUtil.immutableMapBuilder();
+    String homePath = PathManager.getHomePath(false);
+    if (homePath != null) {
+      builder.put(APPLICATION_HOME_DIR, toSystemIndependentName(homePath))
+             .put(APPLICATION_CONFIG_DIR, toSystemIndependentName(PathManager.getConfigPath()))
+             .put(APPLICATION_PLUGINS_DIR, toSystemIndependentName(PathManager.getPluginsPath()));
+    }
+    builder.put(USER_HOME_NAME, computeUserHomePath());
+    return builder.build();
+  }
+
+  private static Map<String, String> computeGlobalPathMacrosInsideIde() {
+    return ContainerUtil.<String, String>immutableMapBuilder()
+      .put(APPLICATION_HOME_DIR, toSystemIndependentName(PathManager.getHomePath()))
+      .put(APPLICATION_CONFIG_DIR, toSystemIndependentName(PathManager.getConfigPath()))
+      .put(APPLICATION_PLUGINS_DIR, toSystemIndependentName(PathManager.getPluginsPath()))
+      .put(USER_HOME_NAME, computeUserHomePath()).build();
+  }
+
+  @NotNull
+  private static String computeUserHomePath() {
+    return StringUtil.trimEnd(toSystemIndependentName(SystemProperties.getUserHome()), "/");
   }
 
   @Nullable
   public static String getGlobalSystemMacroValue(String name) {
-    return ourGlobalMacros.get(name);
+    return getGlobalSystemMacroValue(name, true);
+  }
+
+  @Nullable
+  public static String getGlobalSystemMacroValue(String name, boolean insideIde) {
+    return getGlobalSystemMacros(insideIde).get(name);
   }
 }
diff --git a/platform/util/src/com/intellij/openapi/application/PathManager.java b/platform/util/src/com/intellij/openapi/application/PathManager.java
index fe01e25d623c..fa38c5261087 100644
--- a/platform/util/src/com/intellij/openapi/application/PathManager.java
+++ b/platform/util/src/com/intellij/openapi/application/PathManager.java
@@ -65,6 +65,15 @@ public class PathManager {
 
   @NotNull
   public static String getHomePath() {
+    return getHomePath(true);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @param insideIde {@code true} if the calling code is working inside IDE and {@code false} if it isn't (e.g. if it's running in a build
+   *                              process or a script)
+   */
+  @Contract("true -> !null")
+  public static String getHomePath(boolean insideIde) {
     if (ourHomePath != null) return ourHomePath;
 
     String fromProperty = System.getProperty(PROPERTY_HOME_PATH, System.getProperty(PROPERTY_HOME));
@@ -74,7 +83,7 @@ public class PathManager {
         throw new RuntimeException("Invalid home path '" + ourHomePath + "'");
       }
     }
-    else {
+    else if (insideIde) {
       ourHomePath = getHomePathFor(PathManager.class);
       if (ourHomePath == null) {
         String advice = SystemInfo.isMac ? "reinstall the software." : "make sure bin/idea.properties is present in the installation directory.";
@@ -82,11 +91,11 @@ public class PathManager {
       }
     }
 
-    if (SystemInfo.isWindows) {
+    if (ourHomePath != null && SystemInfo.isWindows) {
       ourHomePath = canonicalPath(ourHomePath);
     }
 
-    ourBinDirectories = getBinDirectories(new File(ourHomePath));
+    ourBinDirectories = ourHomePath != null ? getBinDirectories(new File(ourHomePath)) : ArrayUtil.EMPTY_STRING_ARRAY;
 
     return ourHomePath;
   }