diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index bcaf8bd805..cc1e24578e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 v3.5.1 (XXXX-XX-XX)
 -------------------
 
+* Don't create temporary directories named "arangosh_XXXXXX" anymore.
+
 * Add TransactionStatistics to ServerStatistics (transactions started /
   aborted / committed and number of intermediate commits).
 
diff --git a/lib/Basics/files.cpp b/lib/Basics/files.cpp
index c99c539d1e..be720a6040 100644
--- a/lib/Basics/files.cpp
+++ b/lib/Basics/files.cpp
@@ -2237,9 +2237,16 @@ std::string TRI_GetTempPath() {
         try {
           long systemError;
           std::string systemErrorStr;
-          TRI_CreateRecursiveDirectory(SystemTempPath.get(), systemError, systemErrorStr);
+          std::string baseDirectory = TRI_Dirname(SystemTempPath.get());
+          if (baseDirectory.size() <= 1) {
+            baseDirectory = SystemTempPath.get();
+          }
+          // create base directory if it does not yet exist
+          TRI_CreateRecursiveDirectory(baseDirectory.data(), systemError, systemErrorStr);
         } catch (...) {}
 
+        // fill template string (XXXXXX) with some pseudo-random value and create
+        // the directory
         res = mkDTemp(SystemTempPath.get(), system.size() + 1);
       }