diff --git a/src/env/config_paths.rs b/src/env/config_paths.rs
index cf7b0732a..7e0984123 100644
--- a/src/env/config_paths.rs
+++ b/src/env/config_paths.rs
@@ -140,7 +140,12 @@ fn from_exec_path(unresolved_exec_path: &'static FishPath) -> Self {
                 sysconf: workspace_root.join("etc"),
                 bin: Some(exec_path_parent.to_owned()),
                 data: Some(workspace_root.join("share")),
-                doc: Some(workspace_root.join("user_doc/html")),
+                doc: if cfg!(use_prebuilt_docs) {
+                    Some(workspace_root)
+                } else {
+                    cfg!(using_cmake).then_some(Path::new(BUILD_DIR))
+                }
+                .map(|p| p.join("user_doc/html")),
             }
         } else {
             FLOG!(
diff --git a/tests/checks/config-paths.fish b/tests/checks/config-paths.fish
index 340c3ca5c..8de52c08e 100644
--- a/tests/checks/config-paths.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/config-paths.fish
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 # NOTE: When our executable is located outside the build directory, these are different.
 # CHECKERR: config: paths.data: {{.*}}/share
-# CHECKERR: config: paths.doc: {{.*}}/user_doc/html
+# CHECKERR: config: paths.doc: {{.*/user_doc/html|\|not found\|}}
 
 # CHECKERR: config: sourcing {{.+}}/etc/config.fish
 # CHECKERR: config: not sourcing {{.*}}/xdg_config_home/fish/config.fish (not readable or does not exist)