diff --git a/docs/usage.md b/docs/usage.md
index 2cbf1ec..9d3e375 100644
--- a/docs/usage.md
+++ b/docs/usage.md
@@ -255,3 +255,7 @@ export DOTDROP_FORCE_NODEBUG=
 ```bash
 export DOTDROP_TMPDIR="/tmp/dotdrop-tmp"
 ```
+* `DOTDROP_WORKDIR`: overwrite the `workdir` defined in the config
+```bash
+export DOTDROP_WORKDIR="/tmp/dotdrop-workdir"
+```
diff --git a/dotdrop/settings.py b/dotdrop/settings.py
index c29e97d..f1062dc 100644
--- a/dotdrop/settings.py
+++ b/dotdrop/settings.py
@@ -5,11 +5,16 @@ Copyright (c) 2019, deadc0de6
 settings block
 """
 
+import os
+
 # local imports
 from dotdrop.linktypes import LinkTypes
 from dotdrop.dictparser import DictParser
 
 
+ENV_WORKDIR = 'DOTDROP_WORKDIR'
+
+
 class Settings(DictParser):
     # key in yaml file
     key_yaml = 'config'
@@ -68,6 +73,8 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
         self.cmpignore = cmpignore
         self.instignore = instignore
         self.workdir = workdir
+        if ENV_WORKDIR in os.environ:
+            self.workdir = os.environ[ENV_WORKDIR]
         self.link_dotfile_default = LinkTypes.get(link_dotfile_default)
         self.link_on_import = LinkTypes.get(link_on_import)
         self.minversion = minversion
diff --git a/tests-ng/workdir.sh b/tests-ng/workdir.sh
index dae5751..bdc2d31 100755
--- a/tests-ng/workdir.sh
+++ b/tests-ng/workdir.sh
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ echo -e "$(tput setaf 6)==> RUNNING $(basename $BASH_SOURCE) <==$(tput sgr0)"
 ################################################################
 # this is the test
 ################################################################
+unset DOTDROP_WORKDIR
 string="blabla"
 
 # the dotfile source
diff --git a/tests.sh b/tests.sh
index 05a4509..741e93f 100755
--- a/tests.sh
+++ b/tests.sh
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ export DOTDROP_DEBUG=yes
 unset DOTDROP_FORCE_NODEBUG
 # do not print debugs when running tests (faster)
 #export DOTDROP_FORCE_NODEBUG=yes
+export DOTDROP_WORKDIR=/tmp/dotdrop-tests-workdir
 
 ## execute bash script tests
 [ "$1" = '--python-only' ] || {