diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 64707625..618c5f77 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@ __pycache__
 outputs/
 datasets/*
 !datasets/sacre_coeur/
+build
+hloc/third_party
diff --git a/hloc/extractors/d2net.py b/hloc/extractors/d2net.py
index 64af5f9e..1afc8946 100644
--- a/hloc/extractors/d2net.py
+++ b/hloc/extractors/d2net.py
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-import sys
+import os, sys
 from pathlib import Path
 import subprocess
 import torch
 
 from ..utils.base_model import BaseModel
 
-d2net_path = Path(__file__).parent / '../../third_party/d2net'
+d2net_path = os.path.dirname(__import__('hloc').__file__) + '/third_party/d2net'
 sys.path.append(str(d2net_path))
 from lib.model_test import D2Net as _D2Net
 from lib.pyramid import process_multiscale
diff --git a/hloc/extractors/dir.py b/hloc/extractors/dir.py
index 4290135d..81bf8afa 100644
--- a/hloc/extractors/dir.py
+++ b/hloc/extractors/dir.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import sys
+import os, sys
 from pathlib import Path
 import torch
 from zipfile import ZipFile
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 from ..utils.base_model import BaseModel
 
 sys.path.append(str(
-    Path(__file__).parent / '../../third_party/deep-image-retrieval'))
+    os.path.dirname(__import__('hloc').__file__) + '/third_party/d2net/deep-image-retrieval'))
 os.environ['DB_ROOT'] = ''  # required by dirtorch
 
 from dirtorch.utils import common  # noqa: E402
diff --git a/hloc/extractors/r2d2.py b/hloc/extractors/r2d2.py
index e1465ee8..a64f6943 100644
--- a/hloc/extractors/r2d2.py
+++ b/hloc/extractors/r2d2.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-import sys
+import os, sys
 from pathlib import Path
 import torchvision.transforms as tvf
 
 from ..utils.base_model import BaseModel
 
-r2d2_path = Path(__file__).parent / "../../third_party/r2d2"
+r2d2_path = os.path.dirname(__import__('hloc').__file__) + "/third_party/r2d2"
 sys.path.append(str(r2d2_path))
 from extract import load_network, NonMaxSuppression, extract_multiscale
 
diff --git a/hloc/extractors/superpoint.py b/hloc/extractors/superpoint.py
index 739246a1..4aa6b31a 100644
--- a/hloc/extractors/superpoint.py
+++ b/hloc/extractors/superpoint.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-import sys
+import os, sys
 from pathlib import Path
 import torch
 
 from ..utils.base_model import BaseModel
 
-sys.path.append(str(Path(__file__).parent / '../../third_party'))
+sys.path.append(str(os.path.dirname(__import__('hloc').__file__) + '/third_party/'))
 from SuperGluePretrainedNetwork.models import superpoint  # noqa E402
 
 
diff --git a/hloc/matchers/superglue.py b/hloc/matchers/superglue.py
index 916f9785..616c8b1c 100644
--- a/hloc/matchers/superglue.py
+++ b/hloc/matchers/superglue.py
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-import sys
+import os, sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from ..utils.base_model import BaseModel
 
-sys.path.append(str(Path(__file__).parent / '../../third_party'))
+sys.path.append(str(os.path.dirname(__import__('hloc').__file__) + '/third_party/'))
 from SuperGluePretrainedNetwork.models.superglue import SuperGlue as SG
 
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 0561844e..9baff070 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,8 +1,35 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from setuptools import setup, find_packages
+from setuptools.command.install import install as _install
+from setuptools.command.develop import develop as _develop
+from shutil import copytree
+import os
+import site
 
-description = ['Tools and baselines for visual localization and mapping']
+class InstallAndCopy(_install):
 
+    def run(self):
+        # Call the standard install procedure
+        _install.run(self)
+
+        # Define the source and destination for the thirdparty folder
+        source = Path(__file__).parent / 'third_party'
+        destination = Path(site.getsitepackages()[0]) / 'hloc' / 'third_party'
+
+        # Copy the thirdparty folder
+        if source.exists() and not destination.exists():
+            copytree(source, destination)
+
+class CustomDevelop(_develop):
+    def run(self):
+        # Run standard develop command
+        _develop.run(self)
+
+        # create symlink in hloc folder to make it work in editable mode
+        if not os.path.exists(Path(__file__).parent / 'hloc' / 'third_party'):
+            os.symlink(Path(__file__).parent / 'third_party', Path(__file__).parent / 'hloc' / 'third_party')
+
+# Read in various files for the setup function
 root = Path(__file__).parent
 with open(str(root / 'README.md'), 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
     readme = f.read()
@@ -11,14 +38,17 @@
 with open(str(root / 'requirements.txt'), 'r') as f:
     dependencies = f.read().split('\n')
 
+# Setup function
 setup(
     name='hloc',
     version=version,
     packages=find_packages(),
     python_requires='>=3.6',
     install_requires=dependencies,
+    cmdclass={'install': InstallAndCopy,
+              'develop': CustomDevelop},  # Use the custom install class
     author='Paul-Edouard Sarlin',
-    description=description,
+    description='Tools and baselines for visual localization and mapping',
     long_description=readme,
     long_description_content_type="text/markdown",
     url='https://github.com/cvg/Hierarchical-Localization/',