diff --git a/config/config.sample.php b/config/config.sample.php
index ed86dd941315..247ca662327f 100644
--- a/config/config.sample.php
+++ b/config/config.sample.php
@@ -85,6 +85,16 @@
  */
 'datadirectory' => '/var/www/owncloud/data',
 
+/**
+ * Where ownCloud stores temporary files. Only needed in conjunction with 
+ * external storage types who do not support piping and high temporary data volume 
+ * is expected. May occur with many concurrent data uploads with big sizes.  
+ * Grant write permissions of the webserver user to the path given.
+ * If not used, ownCloud takes the system default.
+ * The path used can be seen in the ownCloud log if loglevel is set to debug.
+ */
+'tempdirectory' => '/tmp/owncloudtemp',
+
 /**
  * The current version number of your ownCloud installation. This is set up
  * during installation and update, so you shouldn't need to change it.
diff --git a/lib/base.php b/lib/base.php
index b7f19c96406d..e07975bf66f2 100644
--- a/lib/base.php
+++ b/lib/base.php
@@ -1086,25 +1086,12 @@ protected static function tryFormLogin() {
 	}
 }
 
-if (!function_exists('get_temp_dir')) {
 	/**
 	 * Get the temporary dir to store uploaded data
 	 * @return null|string Path to the temporary directory or null
 	 */
 	function get_temp_dir() {
-		if ($temp = ini_get('upload_tmp_dir')) return $temp;
-		if ($temp = getenv('TMP')) return $temp;
-		if ($temp = getenv('TEMP')) return $temp;
-		if ($temp = getenv('TMPDIR')) return $temp;
-		$temp = tempnam(__FILE__, '');
-		if (file_exists($temp)) {
-			unlink($temp);
-			return dirname($temp);
-		}
-		if ($temp = sys_get_temp_dir()) return $temp;
-
-		return null;
+		return \OC::$server->getTempManager()->getTempDir();
 	}
-}
 
 OC::init();
diff --git a/lib/private/server.php b/lib/private/server.php
index aeea4a6485e9..31f6c373ea0b 100644
--- a/lib/private/server.php
+++ b/lib/private/server.php
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ public function __construct($webRoot) {
 			}
 		});
 		$this->registerService('TempManager', function (Server $c) {
-			return new TempManager(get_temp_dir(), $c->getLogger());
+			return new TempManager($c->getLogger());
 		});
 		$this->registerService('AppManager', function(Server $c) {
 			return new \OC\App\AppManager(
diff --git a/lib/private/tempmanager.php b/lib/private/tempmanager.php
index eeffc6b339dd..dc2f6fc1f15b 100644
--- a/lib/private/tempmanager.php
+++ b/lib/private/tempmanager.php
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ class TempManager implements ITempManager {
 	 * @param string $baseDir
 	 * @param \OCP\ILogger $logger
 	 */
-	public function __construct($baseDir, ILogger $logger) {
-		$this->tmpBaseDir = $baseDir;
+	public function __construct(ILogger $logger) {
+		$this->tmpBaseDir = $this->getTempDir();
 		$this->log = $logger;
 	}
 
@@ -189,4 +189,57 @@ protected function getOldFiles() {
 		}
 		return $files;
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Get the temporary directory to store transfer data
+	 * @return null|string Path to the temporary directory or null
+	 */
+	public function getTempDir() {
+		// Get the temporary directory and log the path if loglevel is set to debug
+		// Info: based on the temp dir, further sub-directories may be created unique to the instance
+		$temp = $this->gatherTempDir();
+		\OCP\Util::writeLog('Core', 'Temporary directory set to: ' . ($temp ? $temp : 'NULL'), \OCP\Util::DEBUG);
+		return $temp;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Get a temporary directory from possible sources
+	 * If a temporary directory is set in config.php, try to use this one
+	 * @return null|string Path to the temporary directory or null
+	 */
+	private function gatherTempDir() {
+		if ($temp = $this->getConfigTempDir()) return $temp;
+		if ($temp = ini_get('upload_tmp_dir')) return $temp;
+		if ($temp = getenv('TMP')) return $temp;
+		if ($temp = getenv('TEMP')) return $temp;
+		if ($temp = getenv('TMPDIR')) return $temp;
+		$temp = tempnam(__FILE__, '');
+		if (file_exists($temp)) {
+			unlink($temp);
+			return dirname($temp);
+		}
+		if ($temp = sys_get_temp_dir()) return $temp;
+		return null;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Check if the temporary directory is defined in config.php and is accessible and writable
+	 * @return null|string Path to the temporary directory or null
+	 */
+	private function getConfigTempDir() {
+		$temp = \OC::$server->getConfig()->getSystemValue('tempdirectory', false);
+		// check on presence if the config.php parameter is existant and writable
+		if ($temp) {
+			if (is_writeable($temp)) {
+				// the config.php parameter is present and writable
+				return $temp;
+			} else {
+				// the config.php parameter is present, but is either not accesible or writable
+				\OCP\Util::writeLog('Core', 'Manually set temporary directory in config.php is not present or  writable: ' . $temp, \OCP\Util::WARN);
+				return null;
+				}
+		}
+		return null;
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/tests/lib/tempmanager.php b/tests/lib/tempmanager.php
index 72741d0dec69..3766868b585e 100644
--- a/tests/lib/tempmanager.php
+++ b/tests/lib/tempmanager.php
@@ -22,12 +22,11 @@ public function log($level, $message, array $context = array()) {
 }
 
 class TempManager extends \Test\TestCase {
-	protected $baseDir;
 
 	protected function setUp() {
 		parent::setUp();
 
-		$this->baseDir = get_temp_dir() . $this->getUniqueID('/oc_tmp_test');
+		$this->baseDir = $this->getManager()->getTempDir() . $this->getUniqueID('/oc_tmp_test');
 		if (!is_dir($this->baseDir)) {
 			mkdir($this->baseDir);
 		}
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ protected function getManager($logger = null) {
 		if (!$logger) {
 			$logger = new NullLogger();
 		}
-		return new \OC\TempManager($this->baseDir, $logger);
+		return new \OC\TempManager($logger);
 	}
 
 	public function testGetFile() {