diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 60b1ab6..d87fd1a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -474,6 +474,10 @@ In addition, Cotton enables you to navigate around some of the limitations with
 
 The directory where your components are stored.
 
+`COTTON_BASE_DIR` (default: None)  
+
+The directory that contains your project-level "templates" directory. 
+
 `COTTON_SNAKE_CASED_NAMES` (default: True)  
 
 Whether to search for component filenames in snake_case. If set to False, you can use kebab-cased / hyphenated filenames.
diff --git a/django_cotton/cotton_loader.py b/django_cotton/cotton_loader.py
index ef550af..e3a7ca6 100755
--- a/django_cotton/cotton_loader.py
+++ b/django_cotton/cotton_loader.py
@@ -61,9 +61,14 @@ class Loader(BaseLoader):
                 dirs.append(template_dir)
 
         # Check project root templates, e.g. project/templates
-        root_template_dir = os.path.join(settings.BASE_DIR, "templates")
-        if os.path.isdir(root_template_dir):
-            dirs.append(root_template_dir)
+        base_dir = getattr(settings, "COTTON_BASE_DIR", None)
+        if base_dir is None:
+            base_dir = getattr(settings, "BASE_DIR", None)
+
+        if base_dir is not None:
+            root_template_dir = os.path.join(base_dir, "templates")
+            if os.path.isdir(root_template_dir):
+                dirs.append(root_template_dir)
 
         return dirs
 
diff --git a/docs/docs_project/docs_project/templates/configuration.html b/docs/docs_project/docs_project/templates/configuration.html
index 6f096a4..e49565c 100644
--- a/docs/docs_project/docs_project/templates/configuration.html
+++ b/docs/docs_project/docs_project/templates/configuration.html
@@ -13,6 +13,17 @@
         </div>
     </div>
 
+    <div class="grid grid-cols-1 sm:grid-cols-2 gap-6">
+        <div>
+            <code>COTTON_BASE_DIR</code>
+            <div>str (default: None)</div>
+        </div>
+        <div>
+            The base directory where - in addition to the app folders - cotton will search for the "templates" directory (see above).
+            If not set, the `BASE_DIR` generated by `django-admin startproject` is used as a fallback, if it exists.
+        </div>
+    </div>
+
     <c-hr />
 
     <div class="grid grid-cols-1 sm:grid-cols-2 gap-6">
@@ -42,4 +53,4 @@
     </div>
 
 
-</c-layouts.with-sidebar>
\ No newline at end of file
+</c-layouts.with-sidebar>
diff --git a/docs/docs_project/docs_project/templates/quickstart.html b/docs/docs_project/docs_project/templates/quickstart.html
index dd40394..b905492 100644
--- a/docs/docs_project/docs_project/templates/quickstart.html
+++ b/docs/docs_project/docs_project/templates/quickstart.html
@@ -81,7 +81,10 @@ TEMPLATES = [
 
     <c-ul>
         <li><strong>App level</strong> - You can place your cotton folder in any of your installed app folders, like: <div><code>[project]/[app]/templates/cotton/row.html</code></div></li>
-        <li><strong>Project root</strong> - You can place your cotton folder in a project level templates directory, like: <div><code>[project]/templates/cotton/row.html</code></div></li>
+        <li>
+            <strong>Project root</strong> - You can place your cotton folder in a project level templates directory, like: <div><code>[project]/templates/cotton/row.html</code></div>
+            (where the <code>[project]</code> depends on the `BASE_DIR` or `COTTON_BASE_DIR` settings)
+        </li>
     </c-ul>
 
     <p>Any style will allow you to include your component the same way: <code>{{ '<c-row />'|force_escape }}</code></p>