diff --git a/src/emu/emuopts.cpp b/src/emu/emuopts.cpp
index eda6df9b6b6..ed614ecaa77 100644
--- a/src/emu/emuopts.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/emuopts.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ const options_entry emu_options::s_option_entries[] =
 	{ OPTION_SNAPSHOT_DIRECTORY,                         "snap",      OPTION_STRING,     "directory to save/load screenshots" },
 	{ OPTION_DIFF_DIRECTORY,                             "diff",      OPTION_STRING,     "directory to save hard drive image difference files" },
 	{ OPTION_COMMENT_DIRECTORY,                          "comments",  OPTION_STRING,     "directory to save debugger comments" },
+	{ OPTION_SHARE_DIRECTORY,                            "share",     OPTION_STRING,     "directory to share with emulated machines" },
 
 	// state/playback options
 	{ nullptr,                                           nullptr,     OPTION_HEADER,     "CORE STATE/PLAYBACK OPTIONS" },
diff --git a/src/emu/emuopts.h b/src/emu/emuopts.h
index 6ad1d70bcf4..4d92ce5371c 100644
--- a/src/emu/emuopts.h
+++ b/src/emu/emuopts.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 #define OPTION_SNAPSHOT_DIRECTORY   "snapshot_directory"
 #define OPTION_DIFF_DIRECTORY       "diff_directory"
 #define OPTION_COMMENT_DIRECTORY    "comment_directory"
+#define OPTION_SHARE_DIRECTORY      "share_directory"
 
 // core state/playback options
 #define OPTION_STATE                "state"
@@ -331,6 +332,7 @@ public:
 	const char *snapshot_directory() const { return value(OPTION_SNAPSHOT_DIRECTORY); }
 	const char *diff_directory() const { return value(OPTION_DIFF_DIRECTORY); }
 	const char *comment_directory() const { return value(OPTION_COMMENT_DIRECTORY); }
+	const char *share_directory() const { return value(OPTION_SHARE_DIRECTORY); }
 
 	// core state/playback options
 	const char *state() const { return value(OPTION_STATE); }
diff --git a/src/osd/windows/winmain.cpp b/src/osd/windows/winmain.cpp
index 4a779628f71..e37dd725034 100644
--- a/src/osd/windows/winmain.cpp
+++ b/src/osd/windows/winmain.cpp
@@ -458,6 +458,7 @@ windows_options::windows_options()
 	set_default_value(OPTION_SNAPSHOT_DIRECTORY, osd::text::from_wstring((LPCWSTR)path->Data()) + snapshot_directory());
 	set_default_value(OPTION_DIFF_DIRECTORY, osd::text::from_wstring((LPCWSTR)path->Data()) + diff_directory());
 	set_default_value(OPTION_COMMENT_DIRECTORY, osd::text::from_wstring((LPCWSTR)path->Data()) + comment_directory());
+	set_default_value(OPTION_SHARE_DIRECTORY, osd::text::from_wstring((LPCWSTR)path->Data()) + share_directory());
 
 	set_default_value(OPTION_HOMEPATH, osd::text::from_wstring((LPCWSTR)path->Data()));
 	set_default_value(OPTION_MEDIAPATH, osd::text::from_wstring((LPCWSTR)path->Data()) + media_path());