diff --git a/blueprintcompiler/gir.py b/blueprintcompiler/gir.py
index e57fe50..d2849a0 100644
--- a/blueprintcompiler/gir.py
+++ b/blueprintcompiler/gir.py
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ def collect_typelib_search_paths():
     _typelib_search_paths += [
         *_user_search_paths,
         *GIRepository.Repository.get_search_path(),
+        # fallback paths
+        "/usr/local/lib/girepository-1.0",
+        "/usr/local/lib64/girepository-1.0",
+        "/usr/lib/girepository-1.0",
+        "/usr/lib64/girepository-1.0",
     ]
     _typelib_search_paths_initalized = True
 
@@ -68,6 +73,9 @@ def collect_gir_search_paths():
     base_paths = [
         GLib.get_user_data_dir(),
         *GLib.get_system_data_dirs(),
+        # fallback paths
+        "/usr/local/share/",
+        "/usr/share/",
     ]
 
     global _gir_search_paths