diff --git a/scsh/scsh.scm b/scsh/scsh.scm
index 271910c..48b7488 100644
--- a/scsh/scsh.scm
+++ b/scsh/scsh.scm
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@
 
 ;;; The thread-specific resource: A thread fluid
 
-(define $resource 'emtpy-resource-value)
+(define $resource 'empty-resource-value)
 
 (define (thread-read-resource) (thread-fluid $resource))
 (define (thread-set-resource! dir) (set-thread-fluid! $resource dir))
@@ -460,9 +460,22 @@
 	       (list (string-append (constant-format-string (car maybe-prefix))
 				    ".~a"))))))
 
-(define *temp-file-template*
-  (make-fluid (string-append "/tmp/" (number->string (pid)) ".~a")))
+(define (initial-temp-file)
+  (let ((tmpdir (getenv "TMPDIR")))
+    (string-append
+     (if tmpdir
+	 tmpdir
+	 "/var/tmp")
+     "/"
+     (number->string (pid))
+     "~a")))
 
+(define *temp-file-template* (make-fluid 'not-initialized-temp-file-template))
+
+(define temp-file-reinitializer 
+  (make-reinitializer 
+   (lambda ()
+     (set-fluid! *temp-file-template* (initial-temp-file)))))
 
 (define (temp-file-iterate maker . maybe-template)
   (let ((template (:optional maybe-template (fluid *temp-file-template*))))