diff --git a/Project.toml b/Project.toml
index 9c17e7b..ec17110 100644
--- a/Project.toml
+++ b/Project.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 name = "Conda"
 uuid = "8f4d0f93-b110-5947-807f-2305c1781a2d"
-version = "1.6"
+version = "1.7"
 
 [deps]
 Downloads = "f43a241f-c20a-4ad4-852c-f6b1247861c6"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3cfc7f2..0ec727f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
 [![Build Status](https://github.com/JuliaPy/Conda.jl/actions/workflows/CI.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/JuliaPy/Conda.jl/actions/workflows/CI.yml)
 
 This package allows one to use [conda](http://conda.pydata.org/) as a cross-platform binary provider for Julia for other Julia packages,
-especially to install binaries that have complicated dependencies
-like Python.
+especially to install binaries that have complicated dependencies like Python.
 
 `conda` is a package manager which started as the binary package manager for the
 Anaconda Python distribution, but it also provides arbitrary packages. Instead
@@ -81,6 +80,20 @@ julia> ENV["CONDA_JL_HOME"] = "/path/to/miniconda/envs/conda_jl"  # change this
 pkg> build Conda
 ```
 
+## Using a conda executable outside of the home environment
+To use a specific conda executable, set the `CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE` environment
+variable to the location of the conda executable. This conda executable can
+exist outside of the environment set by `CONDA_JL_HOME`. To apply the settting,
+rebuild `Conda.jl`. In Julia, run:
+
+```jl
+julia> ENV["CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE"] = "/path/to/miniconda/bin/conda" # change this to the path of the conda executable
+
+pkg> build Conda
+```
+
+*The use of `CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE` requires at least version 1.7 of Conda.jl.*
+
 ## Conda and pip
 As of [conda 4.6.0](https://docs.conda.io/projects/conda/en/latest/user-guide/configuration/pip-interoperability.html#improving-interoperability-with-pip) there is improved support for PyPi packages.
 **Conda is still the recommended installation method** however if there are packages that are only availible with `pip` one can do the following:
diff --git a/deps/build.jl b/deps/build.jl
index 71fe0da..d356531 100644
--- a/deps/build.jl
+++ b/deps/build.jl
@@ -24,6 +24,19 @@ Using the Anaconda/defaults channel instead, which is free for non-commercial us
     if !isdefined(@__MODULE__, :USE_MINIFORGE)
         const USE_MINIFORGE = USE_MINIFORGE_DEFAULT
     end
+    function default_conda_exe(ROOTENV)
+        @static if Sys.iswindows()
+            p = joinpath(ROOTENV, "Scripts")
+            conda_bat = joinpath(p, "conda.bat")
+            isfile(conda_bat) ? conda_bat : joinpath(p, "conda.exe")
+        else
+            joinpath(ROOTENV, "bin", "conda")
+        end
+    end
+
+    if !isdefined(@__MODULE__, :CONDA_EXE)
+        const CONDA_EXE = default_conda_exe(ROOTENV)
+    end
 end
 
 MINICONDA_VERSION = get(ENV, "CONDA_JL_VERSION", DefaultDeps.MINICONDA_VERSION)
@@ -52,10 +65,39 @@ These will require rebuilding.
 """)
 end
 
+CONDA_EXE = get(ENV, "CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE") do
+    if ROOTENV == DefaultDeps.ROOTENV
+        DefaultDeps.CONDA_EXE
+    else
+        DefaultDeps.default_conda_exe(ROOTENV)
+    end
+end
+
+if haskey(ENV, "CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE")
+    # Check to see if CONDA_EXE is an executable file
+    if isfile(CONDA_EXE)
+        if Sys.isexecutable(CONDA_EXE)
+            @info "Executable conda located." CONDA_EXE
+        else
+            error("CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE, $CONDA_EXE, cannot be executed by the current user.")
+        end
+    else
+        error("CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE, $CONDA_EXE, does not exist.")
+    end
+else
+    if !isfile(CONDA_EXE)
+        # An old CONDA_EXE has gone missing, revert to default in ROOTENV
+        @info "CONDA_EXE not found. Reverting to default in ROOTENV" CONDA_EXE ROOTENV
+        CONDA_EXE = DefaultDeps.default_conda_exe(ROOTENV)
+    end
+end
+
+
 deps = """
 const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(ROOTENV))"
 const MINICONDA_VERSION = "$(escape_string(MINICONDA_VERSION))"
 const USE_MINIFORGE = $USE_MINIFORGE
+const CONDA_EXE = "$(escape_string(CONDA_EXE))"
 """
 
 mkpath(condadir)
diff --git a/src/Conda.jl b/src/Conda.jl
index b8de2c6..72f668a 100644
--- a/src/Conda.jl
+++ b/src/Conda.jl
@@ -70,14 +70,12 @@ function python_dir(env::Environment)
 end
 const PYTHONDIR = python_dir(ROOTENV)
 
-# note: the same conda program is used for all environments
-const conda = if Sys.iswindows()
-    p = script_dir(ROOTENV)
-    conda_bat = joinpath(p, "conda.bat")
-    isfile(conda_bat) ? conda_bat : joinpath(p, "conda.exe")
-else
-    joinpath(bin_dir(ROOTENV), "conda")
+if ! @isdefined(CONDA_EXE)
+    # We have an oudated deps.jl file that does not define CONDA_EXE
+    error("CONDA_EXE not defined in $deps_file.\nPlease rebuild Conda.jl via `using Pkg; pkg\"build Conda\";`")
 end
+# note: the same conda program is used for all environments
+const conda = CONDA_EXE
 
 "Path to the condarc file"
 function conda_rc(env::Environment)
@@ -191,6 +189,7 @@ _quiet() = get(ENV, "CI", "false") == "true" ? `-q` : ``
 "Install miniconda if it hasn't been installed yet; _install_conda(true) installs Conda even if it has already been installed."
 function _install_conda(env::Environment, force::Bool=false)
     if force || !isfile(Conda.conda)
+        @assert startswith(abspath(Conda.conda), abspath(PREFIX)) "CONDA_EXE, $(conda), does not exist within $PREFIX"
         @info("Downloading miniconda installer ...")
         if Sys.isunix()
             installer = joinpath(PREFIX, "installer.sh")
@@ -211,7 +210,7 @@ function _install_conda(env::Environment, force::Bool=false)
         end
     end
     if !isdir(prefix(env))
-        runconda(`create $(_quiet()) -y -p $(prefix(env))`)
+        create(env)
     end
 end
 
@@ -228,6 +227,10 @@ function rm(pkg::PkgOrPkgs, env::Environment=ROOTENV)
     runconda(`remove $(_quiet()) -y $pkg`, env)
 end
 
+function create(env::Environment)
+    runconda(`create $(_quiet()) -y -p $(prefix(env))`)
+end
+
 "Update all installed packages."
 function update(env::Environment=ROOTENV)
     if env == ROOTENV
diff --git a/test/runtests.jl b/test/runtests.jl
index 066eee5..df7d5ff 100644
--- a/test/runtests.jl
+++ b/test/runtests.jl
@@ -70,36 +70,42 @@ Conda.rm_channel("foo", env)
 Conda.add("zlib", env; channel=alt_channel)
 
 @testset "Batch install and uninstall" begin
-    Conda.add(["affine", "ansi2html"], env)
-    installed = Conda._installed_packages(env)
-    @test "affine" ∈ installed
-    @test "ansi2html" ∈ installed
-
-    Conda.rm(["affine", "ansi2html"], env)
-    installed = Conda._installed_packages(env)
-    @test "affine" ∉ installed
-    @test "ansi2html" ∉ installed
+    mktempdir() do env
+        Conda.create(env)
+        Conda.add(["affine", "ansi2html"], env)
+        installed = Conda._installed_packages(env)
+        @test "affine" ∈ installed
+        @test "ansi2html" ∈ installed
+
+        Conda.rm(["affine", "ansi2html"], env)
+        installed = Conda._installed_packages(env)
+        @test "affine" ∉ installed
+        @test "ansi2html" ∉ installed
+    end
 end
 
 # Run conda clean
 Conda.clean(; debug=true)
 
 @testset "Exporting and creating environments" begin
-    new_env = :test_conda_jl_2
-    Conda.add("curl", env)
-    Conda.export_list("conda-pkg.txt", env)
-
-    # Create a new environment
-    rm(Conda.prefix(new_env); force=true, recursive=true)
-    Conda.import_list(
-        IOBuffer(read("conda-pkg.txt")), new_env; channels=["foo", alt_channel, default_channel]
-    )
-
-    # Ensure that our new environment has our channels and package installed.
-    @test Conda.channels(new_env) == ["foo", alt_channel, default_channel]
-    installed = Conda._installed_packages(new_env)
-    @test "curl" ∈ installed
-    rm("conda-pkg.txt")
+    mktempdir() do env
+        new_env = :test_conda_jl_2
+        Conda.create(env)
+        Conda.add("curl", env)
+        Conda.export_list("conda-pkg.txt", env)
+
+        # Create a new environment
+        rm(Conda.prefix(new_env); force=true, recursive=true)
+        Conda.import_list(
+            IOBuffer(read("conda-pkg.txt")), new_env; channels=["foo", alt_channel, default_channel]
+        )
+
+        # Ensure that our new environment has our channels and package installed.
+        @test Conda.channels(new_env) == ["foo", alt_channel, default_channel]
+        installed = Conda._installed_packages(new_env)
+        @test "curl" ∈ installed
+        rm("conda-pkg.txt")
+    end
 end
 
 @testset "Conda.pip_interop" begin
@@ -150,6 +156,17 @@ end
         end
     end
 
+    function default_conda_exe(ROOTENV)
+        @static if Sys.iswindows()
+            p = joinpath(ROOTENV, "Scripts")
+            conda_bat = joinpath(p, "conda.bat")
+            isfile(conda_bat) ? conda_bat : joinpath(p, "conda.exe")
+        else
+            joinpath(ROOTENV, "bin", "conda")
+        end
+    end
+
+
     if Sys.ARCH in [:x86, :i686]
         CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE_DEFAULT = "false"
     else
@@ -162,12 +179,15 @@ end
             @test !isfile(depsfile)
             @test !isfile(joinpath(condadir, "deps.jl"))
 
-            withenv("CONDA_JL_VERSION" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_HOME" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE" => nothing) do
+            withenv("CONDA_JL_VERSION" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_HOME" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE" => nothing) do
                 Pkg.build("Conda")
+                local ROOTENV=joinpath(condadir, "3")
+                local CONDA_EXE=default_conda_exe(ROOTENV)
                 @test read(depsfile, String) == """
-                    const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(joinpath(condadir, "3")))"
+                    const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(ROOTENV))"
                     const MINICONDA_VERSION = "3"
                     const USE_MINIFORGE = $(CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE_DEFAULT)
+                    const CONDA_EXE = "$(escape_string(CONDA_EXE))"
                     """
             end
         end
@@ -179,12 +199,15 @@ end
             @test !isfile(depsfile)
             @test !isfile(joinpath(condadir, "deps.jl"))
 
-            withenv("CONDA_JL_VERSION" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_HOME" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE" => "1") do
+            withenv("CONDA_JL_VERSION" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_HOME" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE" => "1", "CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE" => nothing) do
                 Pkg.build("Conda")
+                local ROOTENV=joinpath(condadir, "3")
+                local CONDA_EXE=default_conda_exe(ROOTENV)
                 @test read(depsfile, String) == """
                     const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(joinpath(condadir, "3")))"
                     const MINICONDA_VERSION = "3"
                     const USE_MINIFORGE = true
+                    const CONDA_EXE = "$(escape_string(CONDA_EXE))"
                     """
             end
         end
@@ -193,12 +216,15 @@ end
             @test !isfile(depsfile)
             @test !isfile(joinpath(condadir, "deps.jl"))
 
-            withenv("CONDA_JL_VERSION" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_HOME" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE" => "0") do
+            withenv("CONDA_JL_VERSION" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_HOME" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE" => "0", "CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE" => nothing) do
                 Pkg.build("Conda")
+                local ROOTENV=joinpath(condadir, "3")
+                local CONDA_EXE=default_conda_exe(ROOTENV)
                 @test read(depsfile, String) == """
-                    const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(joinpath(condadir, "3")))"
+                    const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(ROOTENV))"
                     const MINICONDA_VERSION = "3"
                     const USE_MINIFORGE = false
+                    const CONDA_EXE = "$(escape_string(CONDA_EXE))"
                     """
             end
         end
@@ -207,12 +233,14 @@ end
     @testset "custom home" begin
         preserve_build() do
             mktempdir() do dir
-                withenv("CONDA_JL_VERSION" => "3", "CONDA_JL_HOME" => dir, "CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE" => nothing) do
+                withenv("CONDA_JL_VERSION" => "3", "CONDA_JL_HOME" => dir, "CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE" => nothing) do
                     Pkg.build("Conda")
+                    local CONDA_EXE=default_conda_exe(dir)
                     @test read(depsfile, String) == """
                         const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(dir))"
                         const MINICONDA_VERSION = "3"
                         const USE_MINIFORGE = $(CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE_DEFAULT)
+                        const CONDA_EXE = "$(escape_string(CONDA_EXE))"
                         """
                 end
             end
@@ -222,28 +250,37 @@ end
     @testset "version mismatch" begin
         preserve_build() do
             # Mismatch in written file
+            local ROOTENV=joinpath(condadir, "3")
+            local CONDA_EXE=default_conda_exe(ROOTENV)
             write(depsfile, """
-                const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(joinpath(condadir, "3")))"
+                const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(ROOTENV))"
                 const MINICONDA_VERSION = "2"
                 const USE_MINIFORGE = $(CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE_DEFAULT)
+                const CONDA_EXE = "$(escape_string(CONDA_EXE))"
                 """)
 
-            withenv("CONDA_JL_VERSION" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_HOME" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE" => nothing) do
+            withenv("CONDA_JL_VERSION" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_HOME" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE" => nothing) do
                 Pkg.build("Conda")
+                local ROOTENV=joinpath(condadir, "2")
+                local CONDA_EXE=default_conda_exe(ROOTENV)
                 @test read(depsfile, String) == """
-                    const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(joinpath(condadir, "2")))"
+                    const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(ROOTENV))"
                     const MINICONDA_VERSION = "2"
                     const USE_MINIFORGE = $(CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE_DEFAULT)
+                    const CONDA_EXE = "$(escape_string(CONDA_EXE))"
                     """
             end
 
             # ROOTENV should be replaced since CONDA_JL_HOME wasn't explicitly set
-            withenv("CONDA_JL_VERSION" => "3", "CONDA_JL_HOME" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE" => nothing) do
+            withenv("CONDA_JL_VERSION" => "3", "CONDA_JL_HOME" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE" => nothing, "CONDA_JL_CONDA_EXE" => nothing) do
                 Pkg.build("Conda")
+                local ROOTENV=joinpath(condadir, "3")
+                local CONDA_EXE=default_conda_exe(ROOTENV)
                 @test read(depsfile, String) == """
-                    const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(joinpath(condadir, "3")))"
+                    const ROOTENV = "$(escape_string(ROOTENV))"
                     const MINICONDA_VERSION = "3"
                     const USE_MINIFORGE = $(CONDA_JL_USE_MINIFORGE_DEFAULT)
+                    const CONDA_EXE = "$(escape_string(CONDA_EXE))"
                     """
             end
         end