diff --git a/dcicutils/license_utils.py b/dcicutils/license_utils.py
index 8d6553b0a..ce01a5c80 100644
--- a/dcicutils/license_utils.py
+++ b/dcicutils/license_utils.py
@@ -745,11 +745,12 @@ def find_checker(cls, checker_name: str) -> Optional[Type[LicenseChecker]]:
         return cls.REGISTRY.get(checker_name, None)
 
     @classmethod
-    def lookup_checker(cls, checker_name: str, autoload: bool = False) -> Type[LicenseChecker]:
+    def lookup_checker(cls, checker_name: str, autoload: bool = False,
+                       policy_dir: Optional[str] = None) -> Type[LicenseChecker]:
         result: Optional[Type[LicenseChecker]] = cls.find_checker(checker_name)
         if result is None:
-            if autoload:
-                policy_dir = LicenseOptions.POLICY_DIR or POLICY_DIR
+            if autoload or policy_dir:
+                policy_dir = policy_dir or LicenseOptions.POLICY_DIR or POLICY_DIR
                 PRINT(f"Looking for custom policy {checker_name} in {policy_dir} ...")
                 result = find_or_create_license_class(policy_name=checker_name,
                                                       policy_dir=policy_dir)
diff --git a/dcicutils/scripts/run_license_checker.py b/dcicutils/scripts/run_license_checker.py
index c07c06529..7cafdae37 100644
--- a/dcicutils/scripts/run_license_checker.py
+++ b/dcicutils/scripts/run_license_checker.py
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument("--debug", '-q', default=False, action="store_true",
                         help="Requests additional debugging output.")
     parser.add_argument("--conda-prefix", "--conda_prefix", "--cp", default=LicenseOptions.CONDA_PREFIX,
-                        help=(f"Overrides the CONDA_PREFIX (default {LicenseOptions.CONDA_PREFIX!r})."))
+                        help=f"Overrides the CONDA_PREFIX (default {LicenseOptions.CONDA_PREFIX!r}).")
     parser.add_argument("--policy-dir", "--policy_dir", "--pd", default=LicenseOptions.POLICY_DIR,
-                        help=(f"Specifies a custom policy directory (default {LicenseOptions.POLICY_DIR!r})."))
+                        help=f"Specifies a custom policy directory (default {LicenseOptions.POLICY_DIR!r}).")
 
     args = parser.parse_args()