diff --git a/tools/dtoc/fdt_util.py b/tools/dtoc/fdt_util.py
index f47879a..b105fae 100644
--- a/tools/dtoc/fdt_util.py
+++ b/tools/dtoc/fdt_util.py
@@ -43,12 +43,14 @@
         out = out << 32 | fdt32_to_cpu(val[1])
     return out
 
-def EnsureCompiled(fname, capture_stderr=False):
+def EnsureCompiled(fname, tmpdir=None, capture_stderr=False):
     """Compile an fdt .dts source file into a .dtb binary blob if needed.
 
     Args:
         fname: Filename (if .dts it will be compiled). It not it will be
             left alone
+        tmpdir: Temporary directory for output files, or None to use the
+            tools-module output directory
 
     Returns:
         Filename of resulting .dtb file
@@ -57,8 +59,12 @@
     if ext != '.dts':
         return fname
 
-    dts_input = tools.GetOutputFilename('source.dts')
-    dtb_output = tools.GetOutputFilename('source.dtb')
+    if tmpdir:
+        dts_input = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'source.dts')
+        dtb_output = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'source.dtb')
+    else:
+        dts_input = tools.GetOutputFilename('source.dts')
+        dtb_output = tools.GetOutputFilename('source.dtb')
 
     search_paths = [os.path.join(os.getcwd(), 'include')]
     root, _ = os.path.splitext(fname)
diff --git a/tools/dtoc/test_fdt.py b/tools/dtoc/test_fdt.py
index ed2d982..16a4430 100755
--- a/tools/dtoc/test_fdt.py
+++ b/tools/dtoc/test_fdt.py
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@
 from optparse import OptionParser
 import glob
 import os
+import shutil
 import sys
+import tempfile
 import unittest
 
 # Bring in the patman libraries
@@ -540,10 +542,23 @@
         self.assertEqual(0x12345678, fdt_util.fdt_cells_to_cpu(val, 1))
 
     def testEnsureCompiled(self):
-        """Test a degenerate case of this function"""
+        """Test a degenerate case of this function (file already compiled)"""
         dtb = fdt_util.EnsureCompiled('tools/dtoc/dtoc_test_simple.dts')
         self.assertEqual(dtb, fdt_util.EnsureCompiled(dtb))
 
+    def testEnsureCompiledTmpdir(self):
+        """Test providing a temporary directory"""
+        try:
+            old_outdir = tools.outdir
+            tools.outdir= None
+            tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix='test_fdt.')
+            dtb = fdt_util.EnsureCompiled('tools/dtoc/dtoc_test_simple.dts',
+                                          tmpdir)
+            self.assertEqual(tmpdir, os.path.dirname(dtb))
+            shutil.rmtree(tmpdir)
+        finally:
+            tools.outdir= old_outdir
+
 
 def RunTestCoverage():
     """Run the tests and check that we get 100% coverage"""