diff --git a/rc/base/lint.kak b/rc/base/lint.kak
index 30140efe..604a3f2b 100644
--- a/rc/base/lint.kak
+++ b/rc/base/lint.kak
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ decl -hidden range-specs lint_errors
 
 def lint -docstring 'Parse the current buffer with a linter' %{
     %sh{
-        dir=$(mktemp --tmpdir -d kak-lint.XXXXXXXX)
+        dir=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-lint.XXXXXXXX)
         mkfifo "$dir"/fifo
         printf '%s\n' "eval -no-hooks write $dir/buf"
 
diff --git a/rc/base/spell.kak b/rc/base/spell.kak
index 39744927..fd69bab1 100644
--- a/rc/base/spell.kak
+++ b/rc/base/spell.kak
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ Formats of language supported:
     spell %{
     try %{ add-highlighter ranges 'spell_regions' }
     %sh{
-        file=$(mktemp --tmpdir -d kak-spell.XXXXXXXX)/buffer
+        file=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-spell.XXXXXXXX)/buffer
         printf 'eval -no-hooks write %s\n' "${file}"
         printf 'set buffer spell_tmp_file %s\n' "${file}"
     }
diff --git a/rc/core/doc.kak b/rc/core/doc.kak
index 0b6ae133..478dc926 100644
--- a/rc/core/doc.kak
+++ b/rc/core/doc.kak
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ decl -docstring "name of the client in which documentation is to be displayed" \
 
 def -hidden -params 1..2 doc-open %{
     %sh{
-        manout=$(mktemp --tmpdir kak-man-XXXXXX)
+        manout=$(mktemp "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-man-XXXXXX)
 
         # Those options are handled by the `man-db` implementation
         export MANWIDTH=${kak_window_width}
diff --git a/rc/core/grep.kak b/rc/core/grep.kak
index 7acb3c71..6f3ea321 100644
--- a/rc/core/grep.kak
+++ b/rc/core/grep.kak
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ def -params .. -file-completion \
     -docstring %{grep [<arguments>]: grep utility wrapper
 All the optional arguments are forwarded to the grep utility} \
     grep %{ %sh{
-     output=$(mktemp -d -t kak-grep.XXXXXXXX)/fifo
+     output=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-grep.XXXXXXXX)/fifo
      mkfifo ${output}
      if [ $# -gt 0 ]; then
          ( ${kak_opt_grepcmd} "$@" | tr -d '\r' > ${output} 2>&1 ) > /dev/null 2>&1 < /dev/null &
diff --git a/rc/core/make.kak b/rc/core/make.kak
index 72122ca7..eb689f30 100644
--- a/rc/core/make.kak
+++ b/rc/core/make.kak
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ def -params .. \
     -docstring %{make [<arguments>]: make utility wrapper
 All the optional arguments are forwarded to the make utility} \
     make %{ %sh{
-     output=$(mktemp --tmpdir -d kak-make.XXXXXXXX)/fifo
+     output=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-make.XXXXXXXX)/fifo
      mkfifo ${output}
      ( eval ${kak_opt_makecmd} "$@" > ${output} 2>&1 ) > /dev/null 2>&1 < /dev/null &
 
diff --git a/rc/core/man.kak b/rc/core/man.kak
index 653fc2fc..c1d73c33 100644
--- a/rc/core/man.kak
+++ b/rc/core/man.kak
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ hook global WinSetOption filetype=(?!man).* %{
 }
 
 def -hidden -params 1..2 man-impl %{ %sh{
-    manout=$(mktemp --tmpdir kak-man-XXXXXX)
-    colout=$(mktemp --tmpdir kak-man-XXXXXX)
+    manout=$(mktemp "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-man-XXXXXX)
+    colout=$(mktemp "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-man-XXXXXX)
     MANWIDTH=${kak_window_width} man "$@" > $manout
     retval=$?
     col -b -x > ${colout} < ${manout}
diff --git a/rc/extra/clang.kak b/rc/extra/clang.kak
index 285b4838..b4f956b2 100644
--- a/rc/extra/clang.kak
+++ b/rc/extra/clang.kak
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ def -params ..1 \
 The syntaxic errors detected during parsing are shown when auto-diagnostics are enabled} \
     clang-parse %{
     %sh{
-        dir=$(mktemp --tmpdir -d kak-clang.XXXXXXXX)
+        dir=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-clang.XXXXXXXX)
         mkfifo ${dir}/fifo
         printf %s\\n "set buffer clang_tmp_dir ${dir}"
         printf %s\\n "eval -no-hooks write ${dir}/buf"
diff --git a/rc/extra/git-tools.kak b/rc/extra/git-tools.kak
index 8a30bf95..ba8dade7 100644
--- a/rc/extra/git-tools.kak
+++ b/rc/extra/git-tools.kak
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Available commands:\n-add\n-rm\n-blame\n-commit\n-checkout\n-diff\n-hide-blame\n
            log)  filetype=git-log ;;
            status)  filetype=git-status ;;
         esac
-        output=$(mktemp --tmpdir -d kak-git.XXXXXXXX)/fifo
+        output=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-git.XXXXXXXX)/fifo
         mkfifo ${output}
         ( git "$@" > ${output} 2>&1 ) > /dev/null 2>&1 < /dev/null &
 
diff --git a/rc/extra/go-tools.kak b/rc/extra/go-tools.kak
index 38a3d732..268067ac 100644
--- a/rc/extra/go-tools.kak
+++ b/rc/extra/go-tools.kak
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ decl -hidden completions gocode_completions
 
 def go-complete -docstring "Complete the current selection with gocode" %{
     %sh{
-        dir=$(mktemp --tmpdir -d kak-go.XXXXXXXX)
+        dir=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-go.XXXXXXXX)
         printf %s\\n "set buffer go_complete_tmp_dir ${dir}"
         printf %s\\n "eval -no-hooks write ${dir}/buf"
     }
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ decl -hidden str go_format_tmp_dir
 def -params ..1 go-format \
     -docstring "go-format [-use-goimports]: custom formatter for go files" %{
     %sh{
-        dir=$(mktemp --tmpdir -d kak-go.XXXXXXXX)
+        dir=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-go.XXXXXXXX)
         printf %s\\n "set buffer go_format_tmp_dir ${dir}"
         printf %s\\n "eval -no-hooks write ${dir}/buf"
     }
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ decl -hidden str go_doc_tmp_dir
 # FIXME text escaping
 def -hidden -params 1..2 gogetdoc-cmd %{
    %sh{
-        dir=$(mktemp --tmpdir -d kak-go.XXXXXXXX)
+        dir=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-go.XXXXXXXX)
         printf %s\\n "set buffer go_doc_tmp_dir ${dir}"
         printf %s\\n "eval -no-hooks write ${dir}/buf"
     }
diff --git a/rc/extra/jedi.kak b/rc/extra/jedi.kak
index bd147194..6d39544b 100644
--- a/rc/extra/jedi.kak
+++ b/rc/extra/jedi.kak
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ decl -docstring "colon separated list of path added to `python`'s $PYTHONPATH en
 
 def jedi-complete -docstring "Complete the current selection" %{
     %sh{
-        dir=$(mktemp --tmpdir -d kak-jedi.XXXXXXXX)
+        dir=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-jedi.XXXXXXXX)
         mkfifo ${dir}/fifo
         printf %s\\n "set buffer jedi_tmp_dir ${dir}"
         printf %s\\n "eval -no-hooks write ${dir}/buf"
diff --git a/rc/extra/racer.kak b/rc/extra/racer.kak
index 7c5ff9b0..ce8b5190 100644
--- a/rc/extra/racer.kak
+++ b/rc/extra/racer.kak
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ decl -hidden completions racer_completions
 
 def racer-complete -docstring "Complete the current selection with racer" %{
     %sh{
-        dir=$(mktemp --tmpdir -d kak-racer.XXXXXXXX)
+        dir=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}"/kak-racer.XXXXXXXX)
         printf %s\\n "set buffer racer_tmp_dir ${dir}"
         printf %s\\n "eval -no-hooks %{ write ${dir}/buf }"
     }