diff --git a/config-dist.php b/config-dist.php
index 912b92e2fd8..083f2174a24 100644
--- a/config-dist.php
+++ b/config-dist.php
@@ -476,6 +476,7 @@ $CFG->admin = 'admin';
 //     $CFG->tempdir = '/var/www/moodle/temp';        // Directory MUST BE SHARED by all cluster nodes.
 //     $CFG->cachedir = '/var/www/moodle/cache';      // Directory MUST BE SHARED by all cluster nodes, locking required.
 //     $CFG->localcachedir = '/var/local/cache';      // Intended for local node caching.
+//     $CFG->localrequestdir = '/tmp';                // Intended for local only temporary files. The defaults uses sys_get_temp_dir().
 //
 // It is possible to specify a different backup temp directory, use local fast filesystem
 // for normal web servers. Server clusters MUST use shared filesystem for backuptempdir!
diff --git a/lib/setup.php b/lib/setup.php
index cd31d059fb9..1326f1327c2 100644
--- a/lib/setup.php
+++ b/lib/setup.php
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
  *  - $CFG->tempdir  - Path to moodle's temp file directory on server's filesystem.
  *  - $CFG->cachedir - Path to moodle's cache directory on server's filesystem (shared by cluster nodes).
  *  - $CFG->localcachedir - Path to moodle's local cache directory (not shared by cluster nodes).
+ *  - $CFG->localrequestdir - Path to moodle's local temp request directory (not shared by cluster nodes).
  *
  * @global object $CFG
  * @name $CFG
@@ -208,6 +209,11 @@ if (!isset($CFG->localcachedir)) {
     $CFG->localcachedir = "$CFG->dataroot/localcache";
 }
 
+// Allow overriding of localrequestdir.
+if (!isset($CFG->localrequestdir)) {
+    $CFG->localrequestdir = sys_get_temp_dir() . '/requestdir';
+}
+
 // Location of all languages except core English pack.
 if (!isset($CFG->langotherroot)) {
     $CFG->langotherroot = $CFG->dataroot.'/lang';
diff --git a/lib/setuplib.php b/lib/setuplib.php
index 2133479e41f..b28c58a6326 100644
--- a/lib/setuplib.php
+++ b/lib/setuplib.php
@@ -1635,14 +1635,11 @@ function get_request_storage_directory($exceptiononerror = true, bool $forcecrea
     $createnewdirectory = $forcecreate || !$writabledirectoryexists;
 
     if ($createnewdirectory) {
-        if ($CFG->localcachedir !== "$CFG->dataroot/localcache") {
-            check_dir_exists($CFG->localcachedir, true, true);
-            protect_directory($CFG->localcachedir);
-        } else {
-            protect_directory($CFG->dataroot);
-        }
+        $basedir = "{$CFG->localrequestdir}/{$CFG->siteidentifier}";
+        make_writable_directory($basedir);
+        protect_directory($basedir);
 
-        if ($dir = make_unique_writable_directory($CFG->localcachedir, $exceptiononerror)) {
+        if ($dir = make_unique_writable_directory($basedir, $exceptiononerror)) {
             // Register a shutdown handler to remove the directory.
             \core_shutdown_manager::register_function('remove_dir', [$dir]);
         }
diff --git a/lib/tests/setuplib_test.php b/lib/tests/setuplib_test.php
index bed8fc7588a..469f6cab4cb 100644
--- a/lib/tests/setuplib_test.php
+++ b/lib/tests/setuplib_test.php
@@ -204,6 +204,8 @@ class core_setuplib_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
     }
 
     public function test_get_request_storage_directory() {
+        $this->resetAfterTest(true);
+
         // Making a call to get_request_storage_directory should always give the same result.
         $firstdir = get_request_storage_directory();
         $seconddir = get_request_storage_directory();
@@ -230,6 +232,11 @@ class core_setuplib_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         $fourthdir = get_request_storage_directory();
         $this->assertTrue(is_dir($fourthdir));
         $this->assertNotEquals($thirddir, $fourthdir);
+
+        $now = $this->setCurrentTimeStart();
+        set_config('localcachedirpurged', $now - 2);
+        purge_all_caches();
+        $this->assertTrue(is_dir($fourthdir));
     }
 
 
diff --git a/lib/upgrade.txt b/lib/upgrade.txt
index c5fe41f75e1..294062a0422 100644
--- a/lib/upgrade.txt
+++ b/lib/upgrade.txt
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ information provided here is intended especially for developers.
   renamed to `is_listed()` and `get_not_listed()` respectively.
 * Method `mustache_helper_collection::strip_blacklisted_helpers()` has been deprecated and renamed to
   `strip_disallowed_helpers()`.
+* New setting $CFG->localtempdir overrides which defaults to sys_get_temp_dir()
 
 === 3.9 ===
 * Following function has been deprecated, please use \core\task\manager::run_from_cli().