diff --git a/system/core/CodeIgniter.php b/system/core/CodeIgniter.php
index 0d03293f..d8318f2d 100644
--- a/system/core/CodeIgniter.php
+++ b/system/core/CodeIgniter.php
@@ -402,13 +402,17 @@ if ( ! is_php('5.4'))
 	$class = ucfirst($RTR->class);
 	$method = $RTR->method;
 
-	if (empty($class) OR ! file_exists(APPPATH.'controllers/'.$RTR->directory.$class.'.php'))
+	if (empty($class) OR !(file_exists(APPPATH.'controllers/'.$RTR->directory.$class.'.php') OR file_exists(APPPATH.'third_party/controllers/'.$RTR->directory.$class.'.php')))
 	{
 		$e404 = TRUE;
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		require_once(APPPATH.'controllers/'.$RTR->directory.$class.'.php');
+	    if (file_exists(APPPATH.'third_party/controllers/'.$RTR->directory.$class.'.php')) {
+            require_once(APPPATH.'third_party/controllers/'.$RTR->directory.$class.'.php');
+        } else {
+        	require_once(APPPATH.'controllers/'.$RTR->directory.$class.'.php');
+        }
 
 		if ( ! class_exists($class, FALSE) OR $method[0] === '_' OR method_exists('CI_Controller', $method))
 		{