diff --git a/lang/cem/cemcom/main.c b/lang/cem/cemcom/main.c
index 0c95935fd..614eb5cc0 100644
--- a/lang/cem/cemcom/main.c
+++ b/lang/cem/cemcom/main.c
@@ -123,13 +123,18 @@ char *nmlist = 0;
 
 #ifdef USE_TMP
 extern char *mktemp();		/* library routine	*/
-static char tmpname[] = "/tmp/Cem.XXXXXX";
+char *tmpfdir = "/tmp";		/* where to keep the temporary file */
+static char *tmpfname = "/Cem.XXXXXX";
 char *tmpfile = 0;
 #endif USE_TMP
 
 compile(argc, argv)
 	char *argv[];
 {
+#ifdef USE_TMP
+	char tmpf[256];
+#endif
+
 #ifndef NOPP
 	int pp_only = options['E'] || options['P'];
 #endif NOPP
@@ -155,8 +160,11 @@ compile(argc, argv)
 	}
 
 #ifdef USE_TMP
-	tmpfile = mktemp(tmpname);
+	strcpy(tmpf, tmpfdir);
+	strcat(tmpf, tmpfname);
+	tmpfile = mktemp(tmpf);
 #endif USE_TMP
+
 	if (strcmp(destination, "-") == 0)
 		destination = 0;
 	if (!InsertFile(source, (char **) 0)) /* read the source file	*/
diff --git a/lang/cem/cemcom/options b/lang/cem/cemcom/options
index dc432c550..d1faf7cf4 100644
--- a/lang/cem/cemcom/options
+++ b/lang/cem/cemcom/options
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ p	generate linenumbers and filename indications
 	while generating compact EM code
 P	in running the preprocessor do not output '# line' lines
 R	restricted C
+T	take path following as directory for storing temporary file(s)
 U	undefine predefined name
 V	set objectsize and alignment requirements
 w	suppress warning diagnostics
diff --git a/lang/cem/cemcom/options.c b/lang/cem/cemcom/options.c
index a21456ea5..79416b401 100644
--- a/lang/cem/cemcom/options.c
+++ b/lang/cem/cemcom/options.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include	"sizes.h"
 #include	"align.h"
 #include	"storage.h"
+#include	"use_tmp.h"
 
 #ifndef NOPP
 extern char *inctable[MAXINCL];
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ extern int inc_pos;
 
 extern char options[];
 extern int idfsize;
+extern char *tmpfdir;	/* main.c */
 
 int txt2int();
 
@@ -130,6 +132,17 @@ do_option(text)
 #endif NOPP
 		break;
 
+#ifdef USE_TMP
+	case 'T' :
+		if (*text)
+			tmpfdir = text;
+		else
+			tmpfdir = ".";
+#else USE_TMP
+		warning("-T option ignored");
+#endif USE_TMP
+		break;
+		
 	case 'U' :	{	/* -Uname :	undefine predefined	*/
 #ifndef NOPP
 		struct idf *idef;