diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9be7d7b..237db1c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ Spawns a HandbrakeCLI process with the supplied [options](https://handbrake.fr/d
 | Param | Type | Description |
 | --- | --- | --- |
 | [options] | <code>object</code> | [Options](https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/cli/cli-guide.html#options) to pass directly to HandbrakeCLI |
+| [options.HandbrakeCLIPath] | <code>string</code> | Override the built-in `HandbrakeCLI` binary path. |
 
 **Example**  
 ```js
@@ -138,6 +139,7 @@ Runs HandbrakeCLI with the supplied [options](https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/lates
 | Param | Type | Description |
 | --- | --- | --- |
 | options | <code>Object</code> | [Options](https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/cli/cli-guide.html#options) to pass directly to HandbrakeCLI |
+| [options.HandbrakeCLIPath] | <code>string</code> | Override the built-in `HandbrakeCLI` binary path. |
 | [onComplete] | <code>function</code> | If passed, `onComplete(err, stdout, stderr)` will be called on completion, `stdout` and `stderr` being strings containing the HandbrakeCLI output. |
 
 **Example**  
@@ -159,6 +161,7 @@ Identical to `hbjs.exec` except it returns a promise, rather than invoke a callb
 | Param | Type | Description |
 | --- | --- | --- |
 | options | <code>Object</code> | [Options](https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/cli/cli-guide.html#options) to pass directly to HandbrakeCLI |
+| [options.HandbrakeCLIPath] | <code>string</code> | Override the built-in `HandbrakeCLI` binary path. |
 
 **Example**  
 ```js
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 29ca970..0ef27d7 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import cliOptions from './lib/cli-options.js'
  * Spawns a HandbrakeCLI process with the supplied [options](https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/cli/cli-guide.html#options), returning an instance of `Handbrake` on which you can listen for events.
  *
  * @param {object} [options] - [Options](https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/cli/cli-guide.html#options) to pass directly to HandbrakeCLI
+ * @param {string} [options.HandbrakeCLIPath] - Override the built-in `HandbrakeCLI` binary path.
  * @returns {module:handbrake-js~Handbrake}
  * @alias module:handbrake-js.spawn
  * @example
@@ -36,13 +37,12 @@ import cliOptions from './lib/cli-options.js'
  *   .on('output', console.log)
  * ```
  */
-function spawn (options, mocks) {
-  const handbrake = new Handbrake(mocks)
+function spawn (options = {}, mocks) {
+  const handbrake = new Handbrake(options, mocks)
 
   /* defer so the caller can attach event listers on the returned Handbrake instance first */
   process.nextTick(function () {
     try {
-      handbrake.options = options
       handbrake._run()
     } catch (error) {
       const err = new Error()
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ function spawn (options, mocks) {
  * Runs HandbrakeCLI with the supplied [options](https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/cli/cli-guide.html#options) calling the supplied callback on completion. The exec method is best suited for short duration tasks where you can wait until completion for the output.
  *
  * @param options {Object} - [Options](https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/cli/cli-guide.html#options) to pass directly to HandbrakeCLI
+ * @param {string} [options.HandbrakeCLIPath] - Override the built-in `HandbrakeCLI` binary path.
  * @param [onComplete] {Function} - If passed, `onComplete(err, stdout, stderr)` will be called on completion, `stdout` and `stderr` being strings containing the HandbrakeCLI output.
  *
  * @example
@@ -72,10 +73,10 @@ function spawn (options, mocks) {
  * ```
  * @alias module:handbrake-js.exec
  */
-function exec (options, done) {
+function exec (options = {}, done) {
   const cmd = util.format(
     '"%s" %s',
-    HandbrakeCLIPath,
+    options.HandbrakeCLIPath || HandbrakeCLIPath,
     toSpawnArgs(options, { quote: true }).join(' ')
   )
   cp.exec(cmd, done)
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ function exec (options, done) {
 /**
  * Identical to `hbjs.exec` except it returns a promise, rather than invoke a callback. Use this when you don't need the progress events reported by `hbjs.spawn`. Fulfils with an object containing the output in two properties: `stdout` and `stderr`.
  * @param options {Object} - [Options](https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/cli/cli-guide.html#options) to pass directly to HandbrakeCLI
+ * @param {string} [options.HandbrakeCLIPath] - Override the built-in `HandbrakeCLI` binary path.
  * @returns {Promise}
  * @example
  * ```js
diff --git a/lib/Handbrake.js b/lib/Handbrake.js
index f157ac4..5b13fcc 100644
--- a/lib/Handbrake.js
+++ b/lib/Handbrake.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import childProcess from 'child_process'
  * @inner
  */
 class Handbrake extends EventEmitter {
-  constructor (mocks) {
+  constructor (options = {}, mocks) {
     super()
     /**
      * A `string` containing all handbrakeCLI output
@@ -34,14 +34,13 @@ class Handbrake extends EventEmitter {
      * a copy of the options passed to {@link module:handbrake-js.spawn}
      * @type {object}
      */
-    this.options = null
+    this.options = options
 
     /* path to the HandbrakeCLI executable downloaded by the install script */
-    this.HandbrakeCLIPath = HandbrakeCLIPath
+    this.HandbrakeCLIPath = options.HandbrakeCLIPath || HandbrakeCLIPath
 
     /* for test scripts */
     this.cp = (mocks && mocks.cp) || childProcess
-    this.HandbrakeCLIPath = (mocks && mocks.HandbrakeCLIPath) || this.HandbrakeCLIPath
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/test/exec.js b/test/exec.js
index c0ad0e3..44b1335 100644
--- a/test/exec.js
+++ b/test/exec.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { strict as a } from 'assert'
 
 const tom = new TestRunner.Tom()
 
-tom.test('exec: --preset-list', async function () {
+tom.test('--preset-list', async function () {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     hbjs.exec({ 'preset-list': true }, function (err, stdout, stderr) {
       if (err) {
@@ -17,4 +17,18 @@ tom.test('exec: --preset-list', async function () {
   })
 })
 
+tom.test('HandbrakeCLIPath', async function () {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    hbjs.exec({ 'preset-list': true, HandbrakeCLIPath: 'one' }, function (err, stdout, stderr) {
+      if (err) {
+        a.ok(/command not found/.test(err.message))
+        a.equal(err.cmd, '"one" --preset-list --HandbrakeCLIPath "one"')
+        resolve()
+      } else {
+        reject(new Error("Shouldn't reach here"))
+      }
+    })
+  })
+})
+
 export default tom
diff --git a/test/spawn-exception-handling.js b/test/spawn-exception-handling.js
index f5fd9a5..2982d76 100644
--- a/test/spawn-exception-handling.js
+++ b/test/spawn-exception-handling.js
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@ const tom = new TestRunner.Tom({ maxConcurrency: 1 })
 tom.test('validation: HandbrakeCLI not found', function () {
   return new Promise(function (resolve, reject) {
     const handbrake = hbjs.spawn(
-      { input: 'in', output: 'out' },
-      { HandbrakeCLIPath: 'broken/path' }
+      { input: 'in', output: 'out', HandbrakeCLIPath: 'broken/path' }
     )
     handbrake.on('error', function (err) {
       try {
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@ tom.test('validation: HandbrakeCLI not found', function () {
         a.equal(err.HandbrakeCLIPath, 'broken/path')
         a.ok(err.errno === 'ENOENT' || err.errno === -2)
         a.ok(/ENOENT/.test(err.spawnmessage))
-        a.deepEqual(err.options, { input: 'in', output: 'out' })
+        a.deepEqual(err.options, { input: 'in', output: 'out', HandbrakeCLIPath: 'broken/path' })
         resolve()
       } catch (err) {
         reject(err)
diff --git a/test/spawn.js b/test/spawn.js
index 45c796a..b0a2c0d 100644
--- a/test/spawn.js
+++ b/test/spawn.js
@@ -258,4 +258,9 @@ tom.test('spawn: correct return type', async function () {
   a.ok(handbrake instanceof Handbrake)
 })
 
+tom.test('Handbrake class: options.HandbrakeCLIPath set correctly', async function () {
+  const handbrake = new Handbrake({ input: 'in', output: 'out', HandbrakeCLIPath: 'one' })
+  a.equal(handbrake.HandbrakeCLIPath, 'one')
+})
+
 export default tom