diff --git a/lib/kim/Makefile.lammps b/lib/kim/Makefile.lammps
index 3f6b4415b2..17401f6665 100644
--- a/lib/kim/Makefile.lammps
+++ b/lib/kim/Makefile.lammps
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 # Settings that the LAMMPS build will import when this package library is used
 
-KIM = /home/sjplimp/lmpidea/kim/openkim
+# Note: this assumes that the KIM_DIR environment variable
+#   has been set to point to the openKIM directory, 
+#   which is typically done when building the KIM_API library
 
-kim_SYSINC = -I${KIM}/KIM_API
+kim_SYSINC = -I${KIM_DIR}/KIM_API
 kim_SYSLIB = -lkim
-kim_SYSPATH = -L${KIM}/KIM_API
+kim_SYSPATH = -L${KIM_DIR}/KIM_API
diff --git a/lib/kim/README b/lib/kim/README
index 57ce818246..bc7773883a 100644
--- a/lib/kim/README
+++ b/lib/kim/README
@@ -4,13 +4,15 @@ pair_style kim command.
 
 You should first download KIM from www.openkim.org.  Then build its
 library API in KIM_API, with the models (potentials) you want to use.
-You should have the files:
+You should then have the files:
 
 openkim/KIM_API/libkim.a
 openkim/KIM_API/libkim.so
 
 When you build LAMMPS with its KIM package installed, it will use the
-3 settings in Makefile.lammps in this directory.
+3 settings in Makefile.lammps in this directory.  Note that they
+depend on the KIM_DIR environment variable being set, which is
+typically done when you build the KIM_API library.
 
 kim_SYSINC = a path to the KIM_API directory that contains *.h files
 kim_SYSLIB = the KIM library