diff --git a/scripts/find_unused_symbols.sh b/scripts/find_unused_symbols.sh
index 17f9e6d5da9ba79820f70536e338688dcb113404..090f6de4323eee8fb6628e2572227552f02b41d0 100755
--- a/scripts/find_unused_symbols.sh
+++ b/scripts/find_unused_symbols.sh
@@ -31,43 +31,56 @@
 #
 
 options=$1
+WORKDIR=..
 OBJDIR=obj
-EXECUTABLES="../IVAS_cod ../IVAS_dec ../IVAS_rend"
+EXECUTABLES="${WORKDIR}/IVAS_cod ${WORKDIR}/IVAS_dec ${WORKDIR}/IVAS_rend"
 
 evaluateTables=1
 evaluateFunctions=1
 compile=1
 help=0
 
-if [ $# -gt 0 ]; then
-  evaluateTables=0
-  evaluateFunctions=0
-  compile=1
-fi
-
-while getopts "ftnh" OPT; do
+while getopts ":ftnhd:" OPT; do
   case "$OPT" in
-    f) evaluateFunctions=1;;
-    t) evaluateTables=1;;
-    n) compile=0;;
-    h) help=1;;
+    d)
+       WORKDIR="${OPTARG}"
+       ;;
+    f)
+       evaluateFunctions=1
+       evaluateTables=0
+       ;;
+    t)
+       evaluateFunctions=0
+       evaluateTables=1
+       ;;
+    n)
+       compile=0
+       ;;
+    h)
+       help=1
+       ;;
     *) # getopts produces error
-       exit 1;;
+       exit 1
+       ;;
   esac
 done
 
 if [ $help -ne 0 ]; then
     echo "Usage: $0 [-ftn]"
     echo " where"
+    echo "       -d <dir>: set C-code dir (default: ${WORKDIR})"
     echo "       -f: functions only"
     echo "       -t: tables only"
     echo "       -n: no compilation"
     exit 0
 fi
 
+# print C-code directory
+echo "C-code directory set to ${WORKDIR}"
+
 # build
 if [ $compile -ne 0 ]; then
-  make -C .. DEBUG=0 STRIP=1 clean all 1>&2
+  make -C ${WORKDIR} DEBUG=0 STRIP=1 clean all 1>&2
 fi
 
 if [ $evaluateFunctions != 0 ]; then
@@ -75,7 +88,7 @@ if [ $evaluateFunctions != 0 ]; then
   rm -f functions_obj.txt functions_exe.txt 1>&2
 
   # find all functions in object files
-  nm ../${OBJDIR}/*.o | grep "^[0-9a-f]* T " | sed 's/^[0-9a-f]* T //' | sort -u > functions_obj.txt
+  nm ${WORKDIR}/${OBJDIR}/*.o | grep "^[0-9a-f]* T " | sed 's/^[0-9a-f]* T //' | sort -u > functions_obj.txt
   # find all symbols in final executables
   nm ${EXECUTABLES} | grep "^[0-9a-f]* T " | sed 's/^[0-9a-f]* T //' | sort -u > functions_exe.txt 
 
@@ -91,7 +104,7 @@ if [ $evaluateTables -ne 0 ]; then
   rm -f tables_obj.txt tables_exe.txt 1>&2
 
   # find all functions in object files
-  nm ../${OBJDIR}/*.o | grep "^[0-9a-f]* [RD] " | sed 's/^[0-9a-f]* [RD] //' | sort -u > tables_obj.txt
+  nm ${WORKDIR}/${OBJDIR}/*.o | grep "^[0-9a-f]* [RD] " | sed 's/^[0-9a-f]* [RD] //' | sort -u > tables_obj.txt
   # find all symbols in final executables
   nm ${EXECUTABLES} | grep "^[0-9a-f]* [RD] " | sed 's/^[0-9a-f]* [RD] //' | sort -u > tables_exe.txt