diff --git a/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/coreutils/PlatformUtil.java b/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/coreutils/PlatformUtil.java
index fd64d080ce..40ced93327 100644
--- a/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/coreutils/PlatformUtil.java
+++ b/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/coreutils/PlatformUtil.java
@@ -141,6 +141,27 @@ public class PlatformUtil {
     public static File getUserDirectory() {
         return Places.getUserDirectory();
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Get RCP project dirs 
+     * @return 
+     */
+    public static List<String> getProjectsDirs() {
+        List<String> ret = new ArrayList<String>();
+        String projectDir = System.getProperty("netbeans.dirs");
+        if (projectDir == null) {
+            return ret;
+        }
+        String [] split = projectDir.split(";");
+        if (split == null || split.length == 0) {
+            return ret;
+        }
+        for (String path : split) {
+            ret.add(path);
+        }
+         
+         return ret;
+    }
 
     /**
      * Get user config directory path
diff --git a/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/ingest/IngestModuleLoader.java b/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/ingest/IngestModuleLoader.java
index 16ccae2b57..df5eceaadf 100644
--- a/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/ingest/IngestModuleLoader.java
+++ b/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/ingest/IngestModuleLoader.java
@@ -442,6 +442,16 @@ public final class IngestModuleLoader {
 
         //user modules
         urls.addAll(getJarPaths(PlatformUtil.getUserModulesPath()));
+        
+        // add other project dirs, such as from external modules
+        for (String projectDir : PlatformUtil.getProjectsDirs()) {
+            File modules = new File(projectDir + File.separator + "modules");
+            if (modules.exists()) {
+                urls.addAll(getJarPaths(modules.getAbsolutePath()));
+            }
+        }
+        
+        
 
         return urls;
     }