diff --git a/VERSION.txt b/VERSION.txt
index 51e8fdc..6bf5ecb 100644
--- a/VERSION.txt
+++ b/VERSION.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.2.18
+0.2.19
diff --git a/src/combine/util.cpp b/src/combine/util.cpp
index 778a8c5..5fbd0ca 100644
--- a/src/combine/util.cpp
+++ b/src/combine/util.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,21 @@
 
 LIBCOMBINE_CPP_NAMESPACE_USE
 
+std::string Util::mDefaultTempDir = ".";
+
+std::string 
+Util::getDefaultTempDir()
+{
+  return mDefaultTempDir;
+}
+
+void 
+Util::setDefaultTempDir(const std::string& defaultDir)
+{
+  mDefaultTempDir = defaultDir;
+}
+
+
 std::string
 Util::getTempPath()
 {
@@ -20,7 +35,7 @@ Util::getTempPath()
   if (tmpDir != NULL) return tmpDir;
   tmpDir = getenv("TEMP");
   if (tmpDir != NULL) return tmpDir;
-  return ".";
+  return mDefaultTempDir;
 }
 
 std::string
diff --git a/src/combine/util.h b/src/combine/util.h
index 26b5292..78a21d9 100644
--- a/src/combine/util.h
+++ b/src/combine/util.h
@@ -105,6 +105,19 @@ class LIBCOMBINE_EXTERN Util
    */
   static bool removeFileOrFolder(const std::string& path);
 
+  /**
+   * @brief Get the Default Temp Dir object 
+   * 
+   * @return std::string of the default directory
+   */
+  static std::string getDefaultTempDir();
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Set the Default Temp Dir object
+   * 
+   * @param defaultDir the default directory
+   */
+  static void setDefaultTempDir(const std::string& defaultDir);
 
 private:
 
@@ -118,7 +131,10 @@ class LIBCOMBINE_EXTERN Util
    */
   static size_t getExtensionIndex(const char *fileName);
 
-
+  /** 
+   * the default temp dir (defaults to ".")
+   */ 
+  static std::string mDefaultTempDir;
 };
 
 LIBCOMBINE_CPP_NAMESPACE_END
diff --git a/src/test/util_test.cpp b/src/test/util_test.cpp
index 8c78a43..7aab67c 100644
--- a/src/test/util_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/util_test.cpp
@@ -29,4 +29,13 @@ SCENARIO("utility methods", "[combine][util]")
     REQUIRE(KnownFormats::isFormat("sbml",
             KnownFormats::guessFormat(getTestFile("test-data/BorisEJB.xml"))));
   }
+
+  GIVEN("The default dir is changed")
+  {
+    std::string defaultDir = Util::getDefaultTempDir();
+    REQUIRE(defaultDir.empty() == false);
+    Util::setDefaultTempDir("/tmp/");
+    REQUIRE(Util::getDefaultTempDir() == "/tmp/");
+    Util::setDefaultTempDir(defaultDir);
+  }
 }