diff --git a/plumbum/machines/remote.py b/plumbum/machines/remote.py
index 31eac73d..cf5472bb 100644
--- a/plumbum/machines/remote.py
+++ b/plumbum/machines/remote.py
@@ -328,7 +328,9 @@ def tempdir(self):
         """A context manager that creates a remote temporary directory, which is removed when
         the context exits"""
         _, out, _ = self._session.run(
-            "mktemp -d 2>/dev/null || mktemp -d tmp.XXXXXXXXXX"
+            # -t -> acknowledge $TMPDIR, default to /tmp, so we work
+            # -also in places where $HOME is read only
+            "mktemp -d 2>/dev/null || mktemp -t -d tmp.XXXXXXXXXX"
         )
         local_dir = self.path(out.strip())
         try: