diff --git a/packages/pds/src/config/config.ts b/packages/pds/src/config/config.ts
index 369b9ac885b..6741b89b332 100644
--- a/packages/pds/src/config/config.ts
+++ b/packages/pds/src/config/config.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import os from 'node:os'
 import path from 'node:path'
 import assert from 'node:assert'
 import { DAY, HOUR, SECOND } from '@atproto/common'
@@ -67,8 +66,7 @@ export const envToCfg = (env: ServerEnvironment): ServerConfig => {
     blobstoreCfg = {
       provider: 'disk',
       location: env.blobstoreDiskLocation,
-      tempLocation:
-        env.blobstoreDiskTmpLocation ?? path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'pds/blobs'),
+      tempLocation: env.blobstoreDiskTmpLocation,
     }
   } else {
     throw new Error('Must configure either S3 or disk blobstore')
@@ -265,7 +263,7 @@ export type S3BlobstoreConfig = {
 export type DiskBlobstoreConfig = {
   provider: 'disk'
   location: string
-  tempLocation: string
+  tempLocation?: string
 }
 
 export type IdentityConfig = {