diff --git a/qutebrowser/utils/standarddir.py b/qutebrowser/utils/standarddir.py
index bbe61c459..6e78577d4 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/utils/standarddir.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/utils/standarddir.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 import os
 import os.path
+import getpass
 
 from PyQt5.QtCore import QCoreApplication, QStandardPaths
 
@@ -56,6 +57,11 @@ def runtime():
     return _get(QStandardPaths.RuntimeLocation)
 
 
+def temp():
+    """Convenience function to get the temporary files location."""
+    return _get(QStandardPaths.TempLocation)
+
+
 def _writable_location(typ):
     """Wrapper around QStandardPaths.writableLocation."""
     with qtutils.unset_organization():
@@ -97,7 +103,10 @@ def _from_args(typ, args):
 
     if getattr(args, 'basedir', None) is not None:
         basedir = args.basedir
-        suffix = basedir_suffix[typ]
+        try:
+            suffix = basedir_suffix[typ]
+        except KeyError:
+            return (False, None)
         return (True, os.path.join(basedir, suffix))
 
     try:
@@ -124,12 +133,13 @@ def _get(typ):
     if not overridden:
         path = _writable_location(typ)
         appname = QCoreApplication.instance().applicationName()
+
         if (typ == QStandardPaths.ConfigLocation and
                 path.split(os.sep)[-1] != appname):
             # WORKAROUND - see
             # https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-38872
             path = os.path.join(path, appname)
-        if typ == QStandardPaths.DataLocation and os.name == 'nt':
+        elif typ == QStandardPaths.DataLocation and os.name == 'nt':
             # Under windows, config/data might end up in the same directory.
             data_path = QStandardPaths.writableLocation(
                 QStandardPaths.DataLocation)
@@ -137,6 +147,14 @@ def _get(typ):
                 QStandardPaths.ConfigLocation)
             if data_path == config_path:
                 path = os.path.join(path, 'data')
+        elif typ == QStandardPaths.TempLocation:
+            # "The returned value might be application-specific, shared among
+            # other applications for this user, or even system-wide."
+            subdir = '{}-{}'.format(appname, getpass.getuser())
+            path = os.path.join(path, subdir)
+        elif typ == QStandardPaths.RuntimeLocation:
+            # This is generic, but per-user.
+            path = os.path.join(path, appname)
     # From the XDG basedir spec:
     #     If, when attempting to write a file, the destination directory is
     #     non-existant an attempt should be made to create it with permission
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index bed1dd107..f6a32dcd2 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -95,6 +95,12 @@ def pytest_runtest_setup(item):
         pytest.skip("Can only run when frozen!")
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True, scope='session')
+def change_qapp_name(qapp):
+    """Change the name of the QApplication instance."""
+    qapp.setApplicationName('qutebrowser_test')
+
+
 class WinRegistryHelper:
 
     """Helper class for win_registry."""
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils/test_standarddir.py b/tests/unit/utils/test_standarddir.py
index fbe2c268a..0268e387c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/utils/test_standarddir.py
+++ b/tests/unit/utils/test_standarddir.py
@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@ def reset_standarddir():
     standarddir.init(None)
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def patch_username(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr('qutebrowser.utils.standarddir.getpass.getuser',
+                        lambda: 'user')
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('data_subdir, config_subdir, expected', [
     ('foo', 'foo', 'foo/data'),
     ('foo', 'bar', 'foo'),
@@ -118,6 +124,11 @@ class TestGetStandardDirLinux:
         monkeypatch.setenv('XDG_CACHE_HOME', str(tmpdir))
         assert standarddir.cache() == str(tmpdir / 'qutebrowser_test')
 
+    def test_temp_explicit(self, monkeypatch, tmpdir):
+        """Test temp dir with TMPDIR explicitly set."""
+        monkeypatch.setenv('TMPDIR', str(tmpdir))
+        assert standarddir.temp() == str(tmpdir / 'qutebrowser_test-user')
+
     def test_data(self, monkeypatch, tmpdir):
         """Test data dir with XDG_DATA_HOME not set."""
         monkeypatch.setenv('HOME', str(tmpdir))
@@ -139,6 +150,11 @@ class TestGetStandardDirLinux:
         expected = tmpdir / '.cache' / 'qutebrowser_test'
         assert standarddir.cache() == expected
 
+    def test_temp(self, monkeypatch, tmpdir):
+        """Test temp dir with TMPDIR not set."""
+        monkeypatch.delenv('TMPDIR', raising=False)
+        assert standarddir.temp().split(os.sep)[-1] == 'qutebrowser_test-user'
+
 
 @pytest.mark.windows
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures('no_cachedir_tag')
@@ -160,6 +176,9 @@ class TestGetStandardDirWindows:
         expected = ['qutebrowser_test', 'cache']
         assert standarddir.cache().split(os.sep)[-2:] == expected
 
+    def test_temp(self):
+        assert standarddir.temp().split(os.sep)[-1] == 'qutebrowser_test-user'
+
 
 DirArgTest = collections.namedtuple('DirArgTest', 'arg, expected')
 
@@ -225,6 +244,13 @@ class TestArguments:
         func = getattr(standarddir, typ)
         assert func() == expected
 
+    def test_basedir_temp(self, tmpdir):
+        """Make sure the temp file location is not influenced by basedir."""
+        args = types.SimpleNamespace(basedir=str(tmpdir))
+        standarddir.init(args)
+        qute_tempdir = standarddir.temp()
+        assert not qute_tempdir.startswith(str(tmpdir))
+
 
 class TestInitCacheDirTag: