diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3feb00f1a..bfa6af4e0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -420,8 +420,8 @@ drupal-public-files-dump:
 ifndef DEST
 	$(error DEST is not set)
 endif
-	docker compose exec -T drupal with-contenv bash -lc 'tar zcvf /tmp/public-files.tgz /var/www/drupal/web/sites/default/files'
-	docker cp $$(docker compose ps -q drupal):/tmp/public-files.tgz $(DEST)
+	docker compose exec -T drupal with-contenv bash -lc 'tar zcvf /tmp/public-files.tgz -C /var/www/drupal/web/sites/default/files ${PUBLIC_FILES_TAR_DUMP_PATH}'
+	docker cp $$(docker-compose ps -q drupal):/tmp/public-files.tgz $(DEST)
 
 
 # import Drupal's public files from zipped tarball
diff --git a/sample.env b/sample.env
index 9e8ac3b52..2fe530d60 100644
--- a/sample.env
+++ b/sample.env
@@ -197,3 +197,9 @@ WATCHTOWER_MEMORY_LIMIT=2G
 CANTALOUPE_DELEGATE_SCRIPT_ENABLED=false
 CANTALOUPE_DELEGATE_SCRIPT_PATHNAME=/opt/tomcat/bin/delegates.rb
 CANTALOUPE_HTTPSOURCE_LOOKUP_STRATEGY=BasicLookupStrategy
+
+# Path to include in tar file for exported public files
+# If set to . the files will be exported wherever you specify as DEST
+#   when running make drupal-public-files-import
+# If set to anything else, that path will be added to DEST
+PUBLIC_FILES_TAR_DUMP_PATH=.