diff --git a/pisi/file.py b/pisi/file.py
index b3ce6b0d..d198869c 100644
--- a/pisi/file.py
+++ b/pisi/file.py
@@ -90,14 +90,11 @@ class File:
         return localfile
 
     @staticmethod
-    def download(uri, transfer_dir = None, sha1sum = False,
+    def download(uri, transfer_dir = "/tmp", sha1sum = False,
                  compress = None, sign = None, copylocal = False):
 
         assert isinstance(uri, URI)
 
-        if not transfer_dir:
-            transfer_dir = ctx.config.tmp_dir()
-
         if sha1sum:
             sha1filename = File.download(URI(uri.get_uri() + '.sha1sum'), transfer_dir)
             sha1f = file(sha1filename)
@@ -142,14 +139,12 @@ class File:
         return localfile
 
 
-    def __init__(self, uri, mode, transfer_dir = None,
+    def __init__(self, uri, mode, transfer_dir = "/tmp",
                  sha1sum = False, compress = None, sign = None):
         "it is pointless to open a file without a URI and a mode"
 
-        if transfer_dir:
-            self.transfer_dir = transfer_dir
-        else:
-            self.trasfer_dir = ctx.config.tmp_dir()
+        self.transfer_dir = transfer_dir
+
         self.sha1sum = sha1sum
         self.compress = compress
         self.sign = sign
diff --git a/pisi/pxml/autoxml.py b/pisi/pxml/autoxml.py
index f2817223..30291fcb 100644
--- a/pisi/pxml/autoxml.py
+++ b/pisi/pxml/autoxml.py
@@ -310,11 +310,8 @@ class autoxml(oo.autosuper, oo.autoprop):
 
         # generate top-level helper functions
         cls.initializers = inits
-        def initialize(self, uri = None, keepDoc = False, tmpDir = None,
+        def initialize(self, uri = None, keepDoc = False, tmpDir = '/tmp',
                        **args):
-            if not tmpDir:
-                tmpDir = ctx.config.tmp_dir()
-
             if xmlfile_support:
                 if args.has_key('tag'):
                     XmlFile.__init__(self, tag = args['tag'])
@@ -435,13 +432,9 @@ class autoxml(oo.autosuper, oo.autoprop):
                 if errs:
                     errs.append(_("autoxml.parse: String '%s' has errors") % xml)
 
-            def read(self, uri, keepDoc = False, tmpDir = None,
+            def read(self, uri, keepDoc = False, tmpDir = '/tmp',
                      sha1sum = False, compress = None, sign = None, copylocal = False):
                 "read XML file and decode it into a python object"
-                
-                if not tmpDir:
-                    tmpDir = ctx.config.tmp_dir()
-
                 self.readxml(uri, tmpDir, sha1sum=sha1sum, 
                              compress=compress, sign=sign, copylocal=copylocal)
                 errs = []
@@ -460,7 +453,7 @@ class autoxml(oo.autosuper, oo.autoprop):
                     errs.append(_("autoxml.read: File '%s' has errors") % uri)
                     raise Error(*errs)
 
-            def write(self, uri, keepDoc = False, tmpDir = None,
+            def write(self, uri, keepDoc = False, tmpDir = '/tmp',
                       sha1sum = False, compress = None, sign = None):
                 "encode the contents of the python object into an XML file"
                 errs = self.errors()
@@ -468,10 +461,6 @@ class autoxml(oo.autosuper, oo.autoprop):
                     errs.append(_("autoxml.write: object validation has failed"))
                     raise Error(*errs)
                 errs = []
-
-                if not tmpDir:
-                    tmpDir = ctx.config.tmp_dir()
-
                 self.newDocument()
                 self.encode(self.rootNode(), errs)
                 if hasattr(self, 'write_hook'):
diff --git a/pisi/pxml/xmlfile.py b/pisi/pxml/xmlfile.py
index 350ba89f..263624a4 100644
--- a/pisi/pxml/xmlfile.py
+++ b/pisi/pxml/xmlfile.py
@@ -72,12 +72,8 @@ class XmlFile(object):
             raise Error(_("File '%s' has invalid XML") % (f) )
 
 
-    def readxml(self, uri, tmpDir=None, sha1sum=False,
+    def readxml(self, uri, tmpDir='/tmp', sha1sum=False,
                 compress=None, sign=None, copylocal = False):
-        
-        if not tmpDir:
-            tmpDir = ctx.config.tmp_dir()   
-
         uri = File.make_uri(uri)
         #try:
         localpath = File.download(uri, tmpDir, sha1sum=sha1sum,
@@ -90,7 +86,7 @@ class XmlFile(object):
         except Exception, e:
             raise Error(_("File '%s' has invalid XML") % (localpath) )
 
-    def writexml(self, uri, tmpDir = None, sha1sum=False, compress=None, sign=None):
+    def writexml(self, uri, tmpDir = '/tmp', sha1sum=False, compress=None, sign=None):
         f = File(uri, File.write, sha1sum=sha1sum, compress=compress, sign=sign)
         f.write(self.doc.toPrettyString())
         f.close()