diff --git a/src/Plugins/RenderPlugin.js b/src/Plugins/RenderPlugin.js
index 78ef74516..7523b53f6 100644
--- a/src/Plugins/RenderPlugin.js
+++ b/src/Plugins/RenderPlugin.js
@@ -52,15 +52,6 @@ async function compileFile(
     );
   }
 
-  if (
-    !fs.existsSync(TemplatePath.normalizeOperatingSystemFilePath(inputPath))
-  ) {
-    throw new Error(
-      "Could not find render plugin file for the `renderFile` shortcode, looking for: " +
-        inputPath
-    );
-  }
-
   if (!templateConfig) {
     templateConfig = new TemplateConfig(null, false);
   }
@@ -69,6 +60,17 @@ async function compileFile(
   }
 
   let cfg = templateConfig.getConfig();
+
+  let processedInputPath = cfg.path(inputPath);
+  if (!processedInputPath) {
+    throw new Error(
+      "Could not find render plugin file for the `renderFile` shortcode, looking for: " +
+        inputPath
+    );
+  } else {
+    inputPath = processedInputPath;
+  }
+
   let tr = new TemplateRender(inputPath, cfg.dir.input, templateConfig);
   tr.extensionMap = extensionMap;
   if (templateLang) {
diff --git a/src/TemplateLayoutPathResolver.js b/src/TemplateLayoutPathResolver.js
index 66d7adf2a..63e167162 100644
--- a/src/TemplateLayoutPathResolver.js
+++ b/src/TemplateLayoutPathResolver.js
@@ -46,6 +46,18 @@ class TemplateLayoutPathResolver {
   }
 
   init() {
+    // EJS tests fail in `TemplateLayoutPathResolverTest.js` if config.path is not checked
+    if (this.config.path) {
+      let processedInputPath = this.config.path(this.path);
+      if (processedInputPath) {
+        if (processedInputPath !== this.path) {
+          this.fullPath = processedInputPath;
+          this.filename = this.path;
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     // we might be able to move this into the constructor?
     this.aliases = Object.assign({}, this.config.layoutAliases, this.aliases);
     // debug("Current layout aliases: %o", this.aliases);
diff --git a/src/UserConfig.js b/src/UserConfig.js
index c07115ae2..16a0be317 100644
--- a/src/UserConfig.js
+++ b/src/UserConfig.js
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ const merge = require("./Util/Merge");
 const debug = require("debug")("Eleventy:UserConfig");
 const pkg = require("../package.json");
 
+const { TemplatePath } = require("@11ty/eleventy-utils");
+const fs = require("fs");
+const path = require("path");
+
 class UserConfigError extends EleventyBaseError {}
 
 // API to expose configuration options in config file
@@ -90,6 +94,8 @@ class UserConfig {
     this.dataFilterSelectors = new Set();
 
     this.libraryAmendments = {};
+
+    this.paths = {};
   }
 
   versionCheck(expected) {
@@ -851,8 +857,51 @@ class UserConfig {
       precompiledCollections: this.precompiledCollections,
       dataFilterSelectors: this.dataFilterSelectors,
       libraryAmendments: this.libraryAmendments,
+      paths: this.paths,
+      path: this.path,
     };
   }
+
+  paths = {};
+
+  path() {
+    switch (arguments.length) {
+      case 1:
+        let file = arguments[0];
+
+        //         if (path.isAbsolute(file) && fs.existsSync(file)) {
+        if (fs.existsSync(file)) {
+          return file;
+        }
+
+        let parts = file.split(":");
+
+        if (parts.length == 2) {
+          if (!this.paths[parts[0]]) return false;
+
+          for (let storedPath of this.paths[parts[0]]) {
+            if (fs.existsSync(storedPath + parts[1])) {
+              return storedPath + parts[1];
+            }
+          }
+        }
+
+        return false;
+
+      case 2:
+        if (!this.paths[arguments[0]]) {
+          this.paths[arguments[0]] = [];
+        }
+        this.paths[arguments[0]].unshift(
+          TemplatePath.normalizeOperatingSystemFilePath(arguments[1]).replace(
+            /\/$/,
+            ""
+          ) + "/"
+        );
+    }
+
+    return null;
+  }
 }
 
 module.exports = UserConfig;
diff --git a/test/TemplateRenderDynamicPathsTest.js b/test/TemplateRenderDynamicPathsTest.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..94fa57b2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/TemplateRenderDynamicPathsTest.js
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+const test = require("ava");
+const RenderPlugin = require("../src/Plugins/RenderPlugin");
+const RenderManager = RenderPlugin.RenderManager;
+const RenderPluginFile = RenderPlugin.File;
+const RenderPluginString = RenderPlugin.String;
+
+const VuePlugin = require("@11ty/eleventy-plugin-vue");
+
+const Eleventy = require("../src/Eleventy");
+const normalizeNewLines = require("./Util/normalizeNewLines");
+const removeNewLines = require("./Util/removeNewLines");
+
+async function getTestOutput(input, configCallback = function () {}) {
+  let elev = new Eleventy(input, "./_site/", {
+    config: function (eleventyConfig) {
+      eleventyConfig.addPlugin(RenderPlugin);
+      configCallback(eleventyConfig);
+    },
+  });
+
+  elev.setIsVerbose(false);
+
+  // Careful with this!
+  // elev.disableLogger();
+
+  await elev.init();
+
+  let result = await elev.toJSON();
+
+  if (!result.length) {
+    throw new Error(`No Eleventy JSON output found for input: ${input}`);
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
+async function getTestOutputForFile(inputFile, configCallback) {
+  let result = await getTestOutput(inputFile, configCallback);
+  let html = normalizeNewLines(result[0].content.trim());
+  return html;
+}
+
+test("Use 11ty.js file in njk", async (t) => {
+  let html = await getTestOutputForFile(
+    "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file.njk",
+    function (eleventyConfig) {
+      eleventyConfig.path(
+        "includes",
+        "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/_includes"
+      );
+    }
+  );
+  t.is(
+    html,
+    `TESTING
+TESTING`
+  );
+});
+
+test("Use 11ty.js file in njk with default layout", async (t) => {
+  let html = await getTestOutputForFile(
+    "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-default-layout.njk",
+    function (eleventyConfig) {
+      eleventyConfig.path(
+        "includes",
+        "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/_includes"
+      );
+    }
+  );
+  // console.log(html);
+  t.is(
+    html,
+    `above
+TESTING
+TESTING
+
+below`
+  );
+});
+
+test("Use 11ty.js file in njk with themed layout", async (t) => {
+  let html = await getTestOutputForFile(
+    "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-themed.njk",
+    function (eleventyConfig) {
+      eleventyConfig.path(
+        "includes",
+        "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/_includes"
+      );
+      eleventyConfig.path(
+        "views",
+        "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/parent-theme"
+      );
+    }
+  );
+  // console.log(html);
+  t.is(
+    html,
+    `header of parent theme
+
+default layout of parent theme
+TESTING
+TESTING
+
+footer of parent theme`
+  );
+});
+
+// For some reason, sometimes the path configurations are moved around between instances and async calls.
+// If you run this test multiple times, sometimes the one above and sometimes the one below fails.
+// I'm not sure, if this has something to do with 11ty internal caching or if this is some weird JS
+// async instance pointer issue.
+// I moved the child theme test to a separate file to bypass the failure.
+// see: `TemplateRenderDynamicPathsTestChildTheme.js`
+
+// test("Use 11ty.js file in njk with child themed layout", async (t) => {
+//   let html = await getTestOutputForFile(
+//     "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-child-themed.njk",
+//     function(eleventyConfig) {
+//       eleventyConfig.path('views', './test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/parent-theme');
+//       eleventyConfig.path('views', './test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/child-theme');
+//       eleventyConfig.path('includes', './test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/_includes');
+//     }
+//   );
+// // console.log(html);
+//   t.is(html, `header of child theme
+//
+// default layout of child theme
+// TESTING
+// TESTING
+//
+// footer of parent theme`);
+// });
diff --git a/test/TemplateRenderDynamicPathsTestChildTheme.js b/test/TemplateRenderDynamicPathsTestChildTheme.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e5a45e6cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/TemplateRenderDynamicPathsTestChildTheme.js
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+const test = require("ava");
+const RenderPlugin = require("../src/Plugins/RenderPlugin");
+const RenderManager = RenderPlugin.RenderManager;
+const RenderPluginFile = RenderPlugin.File;
+const RenderPluginString = RenderPlugin.String;
+
+const VuePlugin = require("@11ty/eleventy-plugin-vue");
+
+const Eleventy = require("../src/Eleventy");
+const normalizeNewLines = require("./Util/normalizeNewLines");
+const removeNewLines = require("./Util/removeNewLines");
+
+async function getTestOutput(input, configCallback = function () {}) {
+  let elev = new Eleventy(input, "./_site/", {
+    config: function (eleventyConfig) {
+      eleventyConfig.addPlugin(RenderPlugin);
+      configCallback(eleventyConfig);
+    },
+  });
+
+  elev.setIsVerbose(false);
+
+  // Careful with this!
+  // elev.disableLogger();
+
+  await elev.init();
+
+  let result = await elev.toJSON();
+
+  if (!result.length) {
+    throw new Error(`No Eleventy JSON output found for input: ${input}`);
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
+async function getTestOutputForFile(inputFile, configCallback) {
+  let result = await getTestOutput(inputFile, configCallback);
+  let html = normalizeNewLines(result[0].content.trim());
+  return html;
+}
+
+test("Use 11ty.js file in njk with child themed layout with partial from parent theme", async (t) => {
+  let html = await getTestOutputForFile(
+    "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-child-themed.njk",
+    function (eleventyConfig) {
+      eleventyConfig.path(
+        "views",
+        "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/parent-theme"
+      );
+      eleventyConfig.path(
+        "views",
+        "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/child-theme"
+      );
+      eleventyConfig.path(
+        "includes",
+        "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/_includes"
+      );
+    }
+  );
+  // console.log(html);
+  t.is(
+    html,
+    `header of child theme
+
+default layout of child theme
+TESTING
+TESTING
+
+footer of parent theme`
+  );
+});
diff --git a/test/TemplateRenderDynamicPathsTestFromPlugin.js b/test/TemplateRenderDynamicPathsTestFromPlugin.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e2ee45362
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/TemplateRenderDynamicPathsTestFromPlugin.js
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+const test = require("ava");
+const RenderPlugin = require("../src/Plugins/RenderPlugin");
+const RenderManager = RenderPlugin.RenderManager;
+const RenderPluginFile = RenderPlugin.File;
+const RenderPluginString = RenderPlugin.String;
+
+const VuePlugin = require("@11ty/eleventy-plugin-vue");
+
+const Eleventy = require("../src/Eleventy");
+const normalizeNewLines = require("./Util/normalizeNewLines");
+const removeNewLines = require("./Util/removeNewLines");
+
+const AddTestPathsPlugin = require("./stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/AddTestPathsPlugin.js");
+
+async function getTestOutput(input, configCallback = function () {}) {
+  let elev = new Eleventy(input, "./_site/", {
+    config: function (eleventyConfig) {
+      eleventyConfig.addPlugin(RenderPlugin);
+
+      eleventyConfig.addPlugin(AddTestPathsPlugin);
+
+      eleventyConfig.path(
+        "views",
+        "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/child-theme"
+      );
+      eleventyConfig.path(
+        "includes",
+        "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/_includes"
+      );
+
+      configCallback(eleventyConfig);
+    },
+  });
+
+  elev.setIsVerbose(false);
+
+  // Careful with this!
+  // elev.disableLogger();
+
+  await elev.init();
+
+  let result = await elev.toJSON();
+
+  if (!result.length) {
+    throw new Error(`No Eleventy JSON output found for input: ${input}`);
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
+async function getTestOutputForFile(inputFile, configCallback) {
+  let result = await getTestOutput(inputFile, configCallback);
+  let html = normalizeNewLines(result[0].content.trim());
+  return html;
+}
+
+test("Use 11ty.js file in njk with child themed layout with partial from plugin theme", async (t) => {
+  let html = await getTestOutputForFile(
+    "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-child-themed.njk"
+  );
+
+  t.is(
+    html,
+    `header of child theme
+
+default layout of child theme
+TESTING
+TESTING
+
+footer of plugin theme`
+  );
+});
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-child-themed.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-child-themed.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..afc9da811
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-child-themed.njk
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+layout: "views:default.njk"
+hi: value
+argData:
+  hi: liquidHi
+  bye: liquidBye
+---
+{% renderFile "./test/stubs-render-plugin/_includes/include.11ty.js", argData %}
+{% renderFile "includes:include.11ty.js", argData %}
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-default-layout.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-default-layout.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..67bbb9c37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-default-layout.njk
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+layout: default.njk
+hi: value
+argData:
+  hi: liquidHi
+  bye: liquidBye
+---
+{% renderFile "./test/stubs-render-plugin/_includes/include.11ty.js", argData %}
+{% renderFile "includes:include.11ty.js", argData %}
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-themed.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-themed.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..afc9da811
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file-themed.njk
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+layout: "views:default.njk"
+hi: value
+argData:
+  hi: liquidHi
+  bye: liquidBye
+---
+{% renderFile "./test/stubs-render-plugin/_includes/include.11ty.js", argData %}
+{% renderFile "includes:include.11ty.js", argData %}
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d56ac769b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/11tyjs-file.njk
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+hi: value
+argData:
+  hi: liquidHi
+  bye: liquidBye
+---
+{% renderFile "./test/stubs-render-plugin/_includes/include.11ty.js", argData %}
+{% renderFile "includes:include.11ty.js", argData %}
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/_includes/default.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/_includes/default.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4b41c9e8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/_includes/default.njk
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+above
+{{ content | safe }}
+below
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/_includes/include.11ty.js b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/_includes/include.11ty.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2637dc46d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/_includes/include.11ty.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+module.exports = "TESTING";
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/AddTestPathsPlugin.js b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/AddTestPathsPlugin.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..84b48b719
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/AddTestPathsPlugin.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+module.exports = function (eleventyConfig) {
+  const key = "views";
+  const newPath =
+    "./test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/themes/plugin-theme/";
+
+  // plugins are processed after config file, but the path needs to be at the end of the array
+  if (eleventyConfig.paths[key]) {
+    eleventyConfig.paths[key].push(newPath);
+  } else {
+    eleventyConfig.path(key, newPath);
+  }
+};
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/themes/plugin-theme/default.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/themes/plugin-theme/default.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1e505f8cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/themes/plugin-theme/default.njk
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{% renderFile "views:partials/head.njk" %}
+default layout of plugin theme
+{{ content | safe }}
+{% renderFile "views:partials/footer.njk" %}
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/themes/plugin-theme/partials/footer.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/themes/plugin-theme/partials/footer.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..61a77c818
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/themes/plugin-theme/partials/footer.njk
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+footer of plugin theme
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/themes/plugin-theme/partials/head.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/themes/plugin-theme/partials/head.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e83e332fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/plugin/themes/plugin-theme/partials/head.njk
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+header of plugin theme
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/child-theme/default.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/child-theme/default.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8d87faea3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/child-theme/default.njk
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{% renderFile "views:partials/head.njk" %}
+default layout of child theme
+{{ content | safe }}
+{% renderFile "views:partials/footer.njk" %}
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/child-theme/partials/head.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/child-theme/partials/head.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..01aaaf3b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/child-theme/partials/head.njk
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+header of child theme
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/parent-theme/default.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/parent-theme/default.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..32a9266fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/parent-theme/default.njk
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{% renderFile "views:partials/head.njk" %}
+default layout of parent theme
+{{ content | safe }}
+{% renderFile "views:partials/footer.njk" %}
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/parent-theme/partials/footer.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/parent-theme/partials/footer.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c2e701e4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/parent-theme/partials/footer.njk
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+footer of parent theme
diff --git a/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/parent-theme/partials/head.njk b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/parent-theme/partials/head.njk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..86bd25526
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stubs-render-dynamic-paths/themes/parent-theme/partials/head.njk
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+header of parent theme