diff --git a/class2.php b/class2.php
index 48cdc68d3..9c2c01efa 100755
--- a/class2.php
+++ b/class2.php
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ else
 	unset($retrieve_prefs);
 }
 
-@include(e_ROOT.'e107_config.php');
+$config = include(e_ROOT.'e107_config.php');
 
 if(!defined('e_POWEREDBY_DISABLE'))
 {
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ if(empty($PLUGINS_DIRECTORY))
 
 //define("MPREFIX", $mySQLprefix); moved to $e107->set_constants()
 
-if(empty($mySQLdefaultdb))
+if(empty($mySQLdefaultdb) && empty($config))
 {
   // e107_config.php is either empty, not valid or doesn't exist so redirect to installer..
   header('Location: install.php');
@@ -201,8 +201,6 @@ unset($tmpPlugDir);
 // clever stuff that figures out where the paths are on the fly.. no more need for hard-coded e_HTTP :)
 //
 
-
-
 $tmp = e_ROOT.$HANDLERS_DIRECTORY;
 
 //Core functions - now API independent
@@ -210,24 +208,32 @@ $tmp = e_ROOT.$HANDLERS_DIRECTORY;
 e107_require_once($tmp.'/e107_class.php');
 unset($tmp);
 
-/** @note compact() causes issues with PHP7.3 */
-$dirPaths = array('ADMIN_DIRECTORY', 'FILES_DIRECTORY', 'IMAGES_DIRECTORY', 'THEMES_DIRECTORY', 'PLUGINS_DIRECTORY', 'HANDLERS_DIRECTORY', 'LANGUAGES_DIRECTORY', 'HELP_DIRECTORY', 'DOWNLOADS_DIRECTORY','UPLOADS_DIRECTORY','SYSTEM_DIRECTORY', 'MEDIA_DIRECTORY','CACHE_DIRECTORY','LOGS_DIRECTORY', 'CORE_DIRECTORY', 'WEB_DIRECTORY');
-$e107_paths = array();
-foreach($dirPaths as $v)
+if(empty($config['directories'])) // old e107_config.php format.
 {
-	if(isset($$v))
+	$e107_paths = compact('ADMIN_DIRECTORY', 'FILES_DIRECTORY', 'IMAGES_DIRECTORY', 'THEMES_DIRECTORY', 'PLUGINS_DIRECTORY', 'HANDLERS_DIRECTORY', 'LANGUAGES_DIRECTORY', 'HELP_DIRECTORY', 'DOWNLOADS_DIRECTORY','UPLOADS_DIRECTORY','SYSTEM_DIRECTORY', 'MEDIA_DIRECTORY','CACHE_DIRECTORY','LOGS_DIRECTORY', 'CORE_DIRECTORY', 'WEB_DIRECTORY');
+	$legacy_sql_info = compact('mySQLserver', 'mySQLuser', 'mySQLpassword', 'mySQLdefaultdb', 'mySQLprefix');
+	if(isset($mySQLport))
 	{
-		$e107_paths[$v] = $$v;
+		$legacy_sql_info['mySQLport'] = $mySQLport;
 	}
+
+	$sql_info = array_combine(array_map(function($k) {
+		return str_replace('mySQL', '', $k);
+		}, array_keys($legacy_sql_info)),
+        $legacy_sql_info
+	);
+}
+else // New e107_config.php format. v2.4+
+{
+	$e107_paths = $config['directories'];
+	$sql_info = $config['mySQL'];
+	$E107_CONFIG = $config['other'] ?? [];
+	unset($config);
 }
 
-// $e107_paths = compact('ADMIN_DIRECTORY', 'FILES_DIRECTORY', 'IMAGES_DIRECTORY', 'THEMES_DIRECTORY', 'PLUGINS_DIRECTORY', 'HANDLERS_DIRECTORY', 'LANGUAGES_DIRECTORY', 'HELP_DIRECTORY', 'DOWNLOADS_DIRECTORY','UPLOADS_DIRECTORY','SYSTEM_DIRECTORY', 'MEDIA_DIRECTORY','CACHE_DIRECTORY','LOGS_DIRECTORY', 'CORE_DIRECTORY', 'WEB_DIRECTORY');
-$sql_info = compact('mySQLserver', 'mySQLuser', 'mySQLpassword', 'mySQLdefaultdb', 'mySQLprefix');
-if(isset($mySQLport))
-{
-	$sql_info['mySQLport'] = $mySQLport;
-}
+
 $e107 = e107::getInstance()->initCore($e107_paths, e_ROOT, $sql_info, varset($E107_CONFIG, array()));
+
 e107::getSingleton('eIPHandler');			// This auto-handles bans etc
 unset($dirPaths,$e107_paths);
 
@@ -304,7 +310,7 @@ $sql = e107::getDb(); //TODO - find & replace $sql, $e107->sql
 $sql->db_SetErrorReporting(false);
 
 $dbg->logTime('SQL Connect');
-$merror=$sql->db_Connect($sql_info['mySQLserver'], $sql_info['mySQLuser'], $sql_info['mySQLpassword'], $mySQLdefaultdb);
+$merror=$sql->db_Connect($sql_info['server'], $sql_info['user'], $sql_info['password'], $sql_info['defaultdb']);
 unset($sql_info);
 // create after the initial connection.
 //DEPRECATED, BC, call the method only when needed
diff --git a/e107_handlers/e107_class.php b/e107_handlers/e107_class.php
index daaa7b05b..79aa286a0 100644
--- a/e107_handlers/e107_class.php
+++ b/e107_handlers/e107_class.php
@@ -530,8 +530,17 @@ class e107
 	 * @param array $e107_config_override
 	 * @return e107
 	 */
-	public function initCore($e107_paths, $e107_root_path, $e107_config_mysql_info, $e107_config_override = array())
+	public function initCore($e107_paths, $e107_root_path, $e107_config_mysql_info=array(), $e107_config_override = array())
 	{
+		if(!empty($e107_paths['admin'])) //v2.4
+		{
+			foreach($e107_paths as $dir => $path)
+			{
+				$newKey = strtoupper($dir).'_DIRECTORY';
+				$e107_paths[$newKey] = $path;
+				unset($e107_paths[$dir]);
+			}
+		}
 
 		return $this->_init($e107_paths, $e107_root_path, $e107_config_mysql_info, $e107_config_override);
 	}
@@ -599,7 +608,7 @@ class e107
 		$this->prepare_request();
 
 		// mysql connection info
-		$this->e107_config_mysql_info = $e107_config_mysql_info;
+		$this->setMySQLConfig($e107_config_mysql_info);
 
 		// unique folder for e_MEDIA - support for multiple websites from single-install. Must be set before setDirs()
 	/*	if (!empty($e107_config_override['site_path']))
@@ -836,7 +845,7 @@ class e107
 	public function initInstallSql($e107_config_mysql_info)
 	{
 		// mysql connection info
-		$this->e107_config_mysql_info = $e107_config_mysql_info;
+		$this->setMySQLConfig($e107_config_mysql_info);
 
 		// various constants - MAGIC_QUOTES_GPC, MPREFIX, ...
 		$this->set_constants();
@@ -6170,6 +6179,25 @@ class e107
 
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @param array $sqlinfo
+	 * @return void
+	 */
+	private function setMySQLConfig($sqlinfo): void
+	{
+		if(!empty($sqlinfo['server']))
+		{
+			foreach($sqlinfo as $key=>$val)
+			{
+				$newKey = 'mySQL'.$key;
+				$sqlinfo[$newKey] = $val;
+				unset($sqlinfo[$key]);
+			}
+		}
+
+
+		$this->e107_config_mysql_info = $sqlinfo;
+	}
 
 
 }
diff --git a/e107_tests/tests/_data/e107_config.php.sample b/e107_tests/tests/_data/e107_config.php.sample
index c991716ac..1ca9f08b1 100644
--- a/e107_tests/tests/_data/e107_config.php.sample
+++ b/e107_tests/tests/_data/e107_config.php.sample
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 +----------------------------------------------------+
 This file has been generated by the installation script.
 */
-
+/*
 $mySQLserver    = '{{ mySQLserver }}';
 $mySQLuser      = '{{ mySQLuser }}';
 $mySQLpassword  = '{{ mySQLpassword }}';
@@ -35,5 +35,31 @@ $MEDIA_DIRECTORY     = 'e107_media/';
 $SYSTEM_DIRECTORY    = 'e107_system/';
 
 $E107_CONFIG = array('site_path' => '000000test');
-
+*/
 define('e_MOD_REWRITE',true);
+
+return [
+    'mySQL' => [
+        'server'   => '{{ mySQLserver }}',
+        'user'     => '{{ mySQLuser }}',
+        'password' => '{{ mySQLpassword }}',
+        'defaultdb'=> '{{ mySQLdefaultdb }}',
+        'prefix'   => '{{ mySQLprefix }}',
+        'charset'  => 'utf8',
+    ],
+    'directories' => [ // leave empty to use default
+        'admin'      => 'e107_admin/',
+        'files'      => 'e107_files/',
+        'images'     => 'e107_images/',
+        'themes'     => 'e107_themes/',
+        'plugins'    => 'e107_plugins/',
+        'handlers'   => 'e107_handlers/',
+        'languages'  => 'e107_languages/',
+        'help'       => 'e107_docs/help/',
+        'system'     => 'e107_system/',
+        'media'      => 'e107_media/',
+    ],
+    'other' =>  [
+        'site_path' => '000000test'
+    ]
+];