diff --git a/ctdb/common/cmdline.c b/ctdb/common/cmdline.c
index 4753d8286bc..4995cc8de13 100644
--- a/ctdb/common/cmdline.c
+++ b/ctdb/common/cmdline.c
@@ -31,11 +31,13 @@ static struct {
 	const char *transport;
 	const char *myaddress;
 	int self_connect;
+	const char *db_dir;
 } ctdb_cmdline = {
 	.nlist = NULL,
 	.transport = "tcp",
 	.myaddress = NULL,
 	.self_connect = 0,
+	.db_dir = "."
 };
 
 
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ struct poptOption popt_ctdb_cmdline[] = {
 	{ "transport", 0, POPT_ARG_STRING, &ctdb_cmdline.transport, 0, "protocol transport", NULL },
 	{ "self-connect", 0, POPT_ARG_NONE, &ctdb_cmdline.self_connect, 0, "enable self connect", "boolean" },
 	{ "debug", 'd', POPT_ARG_INT, &LogLevel, 0, "debug level"},
+	{ "dbdir", 0, POPT_ARG_STRING, &ctdb_cmdline.db_dir, 0, "directory for the tdb files", NULL },
 	{ NULL }
 };
 
@@ -93,5 +96,11 @@ struct ctdb_context *ctdb_cmdline_init(struct event_context *ev)
 		exit(1);
 	}
 
+	ret = ctdb_set_tdb_dir(ctdb, ctdb_cmdline.db_dir);
+	if (ret == -1) {
+		printf("ctdb_set_tdb_dir failed - %s\n", ctdb_errstr(ctdb));
+		exit(1);
+	}
+
 	return ctdb;
 }
diff --git a/ctdb/common/ctdb.c b/ctdb/common/ctdb.c
index de7a36f0c47..691d0b30628 100644
--- a/ctdb/common/ctdb.c
+++ b/ctdb/common/ctdb.c
@@ -73,6 +73,18 @@ void ctdb_set_max_lacount(struct ctdb_context *ctdb, unsigned count)
 	ctdb->max_lacount = count;
 }
 
+/*
+  set the directory for the local databases
+*/
+int ctdb_set_tdb_dir(struct ctdb_context *ctdb, const char *dir)
+{
+	ctdb->db_directory = talloc_strdup(ctdb, dir);
+	if (ctdb->db_directory == NULL) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /*
   add a node to the list of active nodes
 */
diff --git a/ctdb/common/ctdb_ltdb.c b/ctdb/common/ctdb_ltdb.c
index 1d34d90e2ed..63a1e22d496 100644
--- a/ctdb/common/ctdb_ltdb.c
+++ b/ctdb/common/ctdb_ltdb.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ struct ctdb_db_context *ctdb_attach(struct ctdb_context *ctdb, const char *name,
 
 	/* add the node id to the database name, so when we run on loopback
 	   we don't conflict in the local filesystem */
-	name = talloc_asprintf(ctdb_db, "%s.%u", name, ctdb_get_vnn(ctdb));
+	name = talloc_asprintf(ctdb_db, "%s/%s", ctdb->db_directory, name);
 
 	/* when we have a separate daemon this will need to be a real
 	   file, not a TDB_INTERNAL, so the parent can access it to
diff --git a/ctdb/include/ctdb.h b/ctdb/include/ctdb.h
index a61b7518123..7339a56b2b7 100644
--- a/ctdb/include/ctdb.h
+++ b/ctdb/include/ctdb.h
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ struct ctdb_context *ctdb_init(struct event_context *ev);
 */
 int ctdb_set_transport(struct ctdb_context *ctdb, const char *transport);
 
+/*
+  set the directory for the local databases
+*/
+int ctdb_set_tdb_dir(struct ctdb_context *ctdb, const char *dir);
+
 /*
   set some flags
 */
diff --git a/ctdb/include/ctdb_private.h b/ctdb/include/ctdb_private.h
index 72ee5dadd66..36a6c8de5da 100644
--- a/ctdb/include/ctdb_private.h
+++ b/ctdb/include/ctdb_private.h
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ struct ctdb_context {
 	struct event_context *ev;
 	struct ctdb_address address;
 	const char *name;
+	const char *db_directory;
 	uint32_t vnn; /* our own vnn */
 	uint32_t num_nodes;
 	uint32_t num_connected;
@@ -460,4 +461,6 @@ struct ctdb_call_state *ctdb_daemon_call_send_remote(struct ctdb_db_context *ctd
 						     struct ctdb_call *call, 
 						     struct ctdb_ltdb_header *header);
 
+void ctdb_request_finished(struct ctdb_context *ctdb, struct ctdb_req_header *hdr);
+
 #endif