diff --git a/common.sh.in b/common.sh.in
index 267743b..76eebc3 100644
--- a/common.sh.in
+++ b/common.sh.in
@@ -441,6 +441,7 @@ fi
 : ${NETWORKS_DIR:="@sysconfdir@/ganeti/instance-image/networks"}
 : ${OVERLAYS_DIR:="@sysconfdir@/ganeti/instance-image/overlays"}
 : ${EXPORT_DIR:="/tmp"}
+: ${IMPORT_DIR:="/tmp"}
 : ${IMAGE_DIR:="@localstatedir@/cache/ganeti-instance-image"}
 : ${IMAGE_DEBUG:="no"}
 : ${FDISK:="sfdisk"}
diff --git a/defaults b/defaults
index 52bbd46..bb981e4 100644
--- a/defaults
+++ b/defaults
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@
 # (default is: /tmp)
 # EXPORT_DIR="/tmp"
 
+# IMPORT_DIR: directory used when importing an instance
+# (default is: /tmp)
+# IMPORT_DIR="/tmp"
+
 # ARCH: Define the ARCH of the image to use
 # Use either x86 or x86_64
 # ARCH=""
diff --git a/import b/import
index aaa8dca..cb3a29b 100755
--- a/import
+++ b/import
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ if [ ! -b $blockdev ]; then
     CLEANUP+=("$LOSETUP -d $blockdev")
 fi
 
-TARGET=`mktemp -d` || exit 1
+TARGET=`mktemp -d --tmpdir=${IMPORT_DIR}` || exit 1
 CLEANUP+=("rmdir $TARGET")
-DUMPDIR=`mktemp -d` || exit 1
+DUMPDIR=`mktemp -d --tmpdir=${IMPORT_DIR}` || exit 1
 CLEANUP+=("rm -rf $DUMPDIR")
 
 if [ ! "${NOMOUNT}" = "yes" ] ; then