diff --git a/src/common/rclinit.cpp b/src/common/rclinit.cpp
index 47607a24..699cfeaf 100644
--- a/src/common/rclinit.cpp
+++ b/src/common/rclinit.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,6 @@ RclConfig *recollinit(RclInitFlags flags,
 
     // Init unac locking
     unac_init_mt();
-
     // Init smallut and pathut static values
     pathut_init_mt();
     smallut_init_mt();
diff --git a/src/index/recollindex.cpp b/src/index/recollindex.cpp
index 2c6cd54c..4de2740a 100644
--- a/src/index/recollindex.cpp
+++ b/src/index/recollindex.cpp
@@ -364,6 +364,18 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     }
     o_reexec->atexit(cleanup);
 
+    string rundir;
+    config->getConfParam("idxrundir", rundir);
+    if (!rundir.compare("tmp")) {
+	LOGDEB(("recollindex: changing current directory to [%s]\n",
+		tmplocation().c_str()));
+	chdir(tmplocation().c_str());
+    } else if (!rundir.empty()) {
+	LOGDEB(("recollindex: changing current directory to [%s]\n",
+		rundir.c_str()));
+	chdir(rundir.c_str());
+    }
+
     bool rezero((op_flags & OPT_z) != 0);
     bool inPlaceReset((op_flags & OPT_Z) != 0);
     Pidfile pidfile(config->getPidfile());
diff --git a/src/sampleconf/recoll.conf.in b/src/sampleconf/recoll.conf.in
index 7bf43552..667bfd8f 100644
--- a/src/sampleconf/recoll.conf.in
+++ b/src/sampleconf/recoll.conf.in
@@ -51,6 +51,15 @@ logfilename = stderr
 # daemloglevel = 3
 # daemlogfilename = /dev/null
 
+# Run directory for the indexing process. The filters sometimes leave
+# garbage in the current directory, so it makes sense to have recollindex
+# chdir to some garbage bin. 3 possible values:
+#  - (literal) tmp : go to temp dir as set by env (RECOLL_TMPDIR else
+#    TMPDIR else /tmp)
+#  - Empty: stay were started
+#  - Absolute path value: go there.
+idxrundir = tmp
+
 # Decide if we store character case and diacritics in the index. If we do, 
 # searches sensitive to case and diacritics can be performed, but the index
 # will be bigger, and some marginal weirdness may sometimes occur. We
diff --git a/src/utils/pathut.cpp b/src/utils/pathut.cpp
index 3ca1e411..44917de6 100644
--- a/src/utils/pathut.cpp
+++ b/src/utils/pathut.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ bool fsocc(const string &path, int *pc, long *blocks)
     return true;
 }
 
-static const string& tmplocation()
+const string& tmplocation()
 {
     static string stmpdir;
     if (stmpdir.empty()) {
diff --git a/src/utils/pathut.h b/src/utils/pathut.h
index 15bd10ee..2ef8ff3a 100644
--- a/src/utils/pathut.h
+++ b/src/utils/pathut.h
@@ -74,7 +74,10 @@ bool fsocc(const string &path, int *pc, // Percent occupied
 	   long *avmbs = 0 // Mbs available to non-superuser
 	   );
 
-/// Create temporary directory
+/// Retrieve the temp dir location: $RECOLL_TMPDIR else $TMPDIR else /tmp
+extern const string& tmplocation();
+
+/// Create temporary directory (inside the temp location)
 extern bool maketmpdir(string& tdir, string& reason);
 
 /// mkdir -p