diff --git a/dotfiles/lib/setup_functions.sh b/dotfiles/lib/setup_functions.sh
index ed753802..c224e476 100644
--- a/dotfiles/lib/setup_functions.sh
+++ b/dotfiles/lib/setup_functions.sh
@@ -19,6 +19,35 @@ function add_to_path {
     eval "$($_python_command $HOME/.lib/python/shell_path.py --include-assignment "$@")"
 }
 
+# Taken from http://www.unix.com/shell-programming-and-scripting/27932-how-know-linux-distribution-i-am-using.html
+function get_distro {
+    # start with uname and branch the decision from there
+    dist=$(uname -s 2> /dev/null)
+    if [ "$dist" = "Linux" ]; then
+        get_linux_distro && return 0
+    elif [ -n "$dist" ]; then
+        echo "$dist"
+        return 0
+    fi
+    proc_version || echo "Unknown"
+    return 1
+}
+
+function get_linux_distro {
+   if [ -r /etc/lsb-release ]; then
+       dist=$(grep 'DISTRIB_ID' /etc/lsb-release | sed 's/DISTRIB_ID=//' | head -1)
+       [ -n "$dist" ] && echo "$dist" && return 0
+   fi
+
+   dist=$(find /etc/ -maxdepth 1 -name '*release' 2> /dev/null | sed 's/\/etc\///' | sed 's/-release//' | head -1)
+   [ -n "$dist" ] && echo "$dist" && return 0
+
+   dist=$(find /etc/ -maxdepth 1 -name '*version' 2> /dev/null | sed 's/\/etc\///' | sed 's/-version//' | head -1)
+   [ -n "$dist" ] && echo "$dist" && return 0
+   return 1
+}
+
+
 function is_osx() {
     case `uname` in
         'Darwin')
diff --git a/dotfiles/lib/shellpath.sh b/dotfiles/lib/shellpath.sh
index 7a228026..965ed7ef 100644
--- a/dotfiles/lib/shellpath.sh
+++ b/dotfiles/lib/shellpath.sh
@@ -17,13 +17,17 @@ function _setup_env {
 }
 
 function _osx_path_setup {
-    hash brew 2>/dev/null && add_to_path --before "$(brew --prefix coreutils)/libexec/gnubin"
+    if command_exists "brew";
+       add_to_path --before "$(brew --prefix coreutils)/libexec/gnubin"
+       # Access gnu man pages.
+       add_to_path "$(brew --prefix)/opt/coreutils/libexec/gnuman" --path-var "MANPATH"
+    then
 
     # Adds airport utility
     add_to_path "/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources" --after
 
-    # I believe that this is here because of some issue with
-    # python builds in OSX
+    # I believe that this is here because of some issue with python builds in
+    # OSX
     export CFLAGS=-Qunused-arguments
     export CPPFLAGS=-Qunused-arguments
 }
@@ -58,15 +62,18 @@ function _java_setup {
         export GRADLE_HOME="$(brew --prefix gradle)"
         export ANDROID_HOME="$(brew --prefix android-sdk)"
         add_to_path "$ANDROID_HOME" --after
-
-        # Access gnu man pages.
-        hash brew 2> /dev/null && export MANPATH="$(brew --prefix)/opt/coreutils/libexec/gnuman:$MANPATH"
-    else
-        # This may be ubuntu/debian specific
-        export JAVA_HOME="$(update-alternatives --config java | get_cols ' -1' | head -n 1)"
-        is_osx && export VISUAL="which emacsclient -c -n"
     fi
 
+    case get_distro in
+        Arch)
+        # Arch does not seem to need to set JAVA_HOME
+            ;;
+        Debian)
+        # This may be ubuntu/debian specific
+            export JAVA_HOME="$(update-alternatives --config java | get_cols ' -1' | head -n 1)"
+            ;;
+    esac
+
     add_to_path "$JAVA_HOME/bin"
 }