diff --git a/bin/pt-archiver b/bin/pt-archiver
index d6af4e7d..7c925093 100755
--- a/bin/pt-archiver
+++ b/bin/pt-archiver
@@ -4707,11 +4707,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-config-diff b/bin/pt-config-diff
index fc3ea220..875d6396 100755
--- a/bin/pt-config-diff
+++ b/bin/pt-config-diff
@@ -4381,11 +4381,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-deadlock-logger b/bin/pt-deadlock-logger
index ddef8ad7..95f2ebcf 100755
--- a/bin/pt-deadlock-logger
+++ b/bin/pt-deadlock-logger
@@ -3297,11 +3297,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-diskstats b/bin/pt-diskstats
index e0fe0d53..a4b2fbd3 100755
--- a/bin/pt-diskstats
+++ b/bin/pt-diskstats
@@ -4192,11 +4192,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-duplicate-key-checker b/bin/pt-duplicate-key-checker
index 29b1c178..246f117f 100755
--- a/bin/pt-duplicate-key-checker
+++ b/bin/pt-duplicate-key-checker
@@ -4053,11 +4053,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-find b/bin/pt-find
index 01c9711f..e2ba4498 100755
--- a/bin/pt-find
+++ b/bin/pt-find
@@ -2865,11 +2865,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-fk-error-logger b/bin/pt-fk-error-logger
index d42a65ad..279ffebd 100755
--- a/bin/pt-fk-error-logger
+++ b/bin/pt-fk-error-logger
@@ -2807,11 +2807,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-heartbeat b/bin/pt-heartbeat
index 63ec2ad0..ca2f2161 100755
--- a/bin/pt-heartbeat
+++ b/bin/pt-heartbeat
@@ -4033,11 +4033,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-index-usage b/bin/pt-index-usage
index 99e9600f..dce83316 100755
--- a/bin/pt-index-usage
+++ b/bin/pt-index-usage
@@ -5508,11 +5508,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-kill b/bin/pt-kill
index 901cbd44..e1245dca 100755
--- a/bin/pt-kill
+++ b/bin/pt-kill
@@ -5730,11 +5730,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-online-schema-change b/bin/pt-online-schema-change
index bfe7c455..db514b54 100755
--- a/bin/pt-online-schema-change
+++ b/bin/pt-online-schema-change
@@ -7180,11 +7180,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-query-advisor b/bin/pt-query-advisor
index 139221ea..ce1a0483 100755
--- a/bin/pt-query-advisor
+++ b/bin/pt-query-advisor
@@ -7463,11 +7463,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-query-digest b/bin/pt-query-digest
index 928d1cc5..74be2b49 100755
--- a/bin/pt-query-digest
+++ b/bin/pt-query-digest
@@ -13092,11 +13092,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-slave-delay b/bin/pt-slave-delay
index 9bf85331..9dd77a29 100755
--- a/bin/pt-slave-delay
+++ b/bin/pt-slave-delay
@@ -3408,11 +3408,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-slave-restart b/bin/pt-slave-restart
index 923e8d48..2e59e1e1 100755
--- a/bin/pt-slave-restart
+++ b/bin/pt-slave-restart
@@ -4032,11 +4032,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-table-checksum b/bin/pt-table-checksum
index f5a01381..29b8649f 100755
--- a/bin/pt-table-checksum
+++ b/bin/pt-table-checksum
@@ -746,11 +746,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-table-sync b/bin/pt-table-sync
index 1704ab3f..f0ffb224 100755
--- a/bin/pt-table-sync
+++ b/bin/pt-table-sync
@@ -8870,11 +8870,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-upgrade b/bin/pt-upgrade
index dce1ee5e..84d2b5b3 100755
--- a/bin/pt-upgrade
+++ b/bin/pt-upgrade
@@ -11689,11 +11689,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/bin/pt-variable-advisor b/bin/pt-variable-advisor
index 69c647b6..160bd6e9 100755
--- a/bin/pt-variable-advisor
+++ b/bin/pt-variable-advisor
@@ -4315,11 +4315,26 @@ eval {
    require HTTPMicro;
 };
 
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 sub version_check_time_limit {
diff --git a/lib/VersionCheck.pm b/lib/VersionCheck.pm
index acb67064..e76802e4 100644
--- a/lib/VersionCheck.pm
+++ b/lib/VersionCheck.pm
@@ -48,12 +48,30 @@ eval {
 };
 
 # Return the version check file used to keep track of
-# MySQL instance that have been checked and when.
-sub version_check_file {
-   return File::Spec->catfile(
-      File::Spec->tmpdir(),
-      'percona-version-check-2.2'
+# MySQL instance that have been checked and when.  Some
+# systems use random tmp dirs; we don't want that else
+# every user will have their own vc file.  One vc file
+# per system is the goal, so prefer global sys dirs first.
+{
+   my $file    = 'percona-version-check';
+   my $home    = $ENV{HOME} || $ENV{HOMEPATH} || $ENV{USERPROFILE} || '.';
+   my @vc_dirs = (
+      '/etc/percona',
+      '/etc/percona-toolkit',
+      '/tmp',
+      "$home",
    );
+
+   sub version_check_file {
+      foreach my $dir ( @vc_dirs ) {
+         if ( -d $dir && -w $dir ) {
+            PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $dir);
+            return $dir . '/' . $file;
+         }
+      }
+      PTDEBUG && _d('Version check file', $file, 'in', $ENV{PWD});
+      return $file;  # in the CWD
+   } 
 }
 
 # Return time limit between checks.