diff --git a/basis/io/files/temp/unix/unix.factor b/basis/io/files/temp/unix/unix.factor
index cf9df11a4b..7bbe96e36e 100644
--- a/basis/io/files/temp/unix/unix.factor
+++ b/basis/io/files/temp/unix/unix.factor
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 ! (c)2012 Joe Groff bsd license
-USING: io.files.temp io.pathnames system xdg ;
+USING: environment io.files.temp io.pathnames sequences system
+xdg ;
 IN: io.files.temp.unix
 
-M: unix default-temp-directory "/tmp/factor-temp" ;
+M: unix default-temp-directory
+    "TMPDIR" os-env [ "/tmp" ] when-empty "factor-temp" append-path ;
 
 M: unix default-cache-directory xdg-cache-home ".factor" append-path ;