diff --git a/scripts/pacman-optimize.sh.in b/scripts/pacman-optimize.sh.in
index 5ff302e2..154f982e 100644
--- a/scripts/pacman-optimize.sh.in
+++ b/scripts/pacman-optimize.sh.in
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ fi
 # do not let pacman run while we do this
 touch "$lockfile"
 
-workdir=$(mktemp -d /tmp/pacman-optimize.XXXXXXXXXX) ||
+workdir=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/pacman-optimize.XXXXXXXXXX") ||
 	die_r "$(gettext "Can not create temp directory for database building.")\n" >&2
 
 # step 1: sum the old db
diff --git a/scripts/repo-add.sh.in b/scripts/repo-add.sh.in
index 29b150c8..ff3511c1 100644
--- a/scripts/repo-add.sh.in
+++ b/scripts/repo-add.sh.in
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ if [[ $cmd != "repo-add" && $cmd != "repo-remove" ]]; then
 	exit 1
 fi
 
-tmpdir=$(mktemp -d /tmp/repo-tools.XXXXXXXXXX) || (\
+tmpdir=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/repo-tools.XXXXXXXXXX") || (\
 	error "$(gettext "Cannot create temp directory for database building.")"; \
 	exit 1)
 mkdir $tmpdir/tree