diff --git a/meshmode/mesh/io.py b/meshmode/mesh/io.py
index 49e816f84940d4f765703a8adc53ff327e3e69a8..daaaa178695e0bb981fc551ae0137af4febf3c67 100644
--- a/meshmode/mesh/io.py
+++ b/meshmode/mesh/io.py
@@ -291,7 +291,8 @@ def read_gmsh(filename, force_ambient_dim=None, mesh_construction_kwargs=None):
 
 def generate_gmsh(source, dimensions=None, order=None, other_options=[],
         extension="geo", gmsh_executable="gmsh", force_ambient_dim=None,
-        output_file_name="output.msh", mesh_construction_kwargs=None):
+        output_file_name="output.msh", keep_tmp_dir=False, overwrite_tmp_files=True,
+        mesh_construction_kwargs=None):
     """Run :command:`gmsh` on the input given by *source*, and return a
     :class:`meshmode.mesh.Mesh` based on the result.
 
@@ -299,16 +300,28 @@ def generate_gmsh(source, dimensions=None, order=None, other_options=[],
         :class:`LiteralSource`
     :arg force_ambient_dim: if not None, truncate point coordinates to
         this many dimensions.
+    :arg keep_tmp_dir: If set to True, the temporary files produced during
+        mesh generation will be kept under the current working directory.
     :arg mesh_construction_kwargs: *None* or a dictionary of keyword
         arguments passed to the :class:`meshmode.mesh.Mesh` constructor.
     """
     recv = GmshMeshReceiver(mesh_construction_kwargs=mesh_construction_kwargs)
 
+    if isinstance(keep_tmp_dir, str):
+        tmp_files_dir = keep_tmp_dir
+    elif keep_tmp_dir:
+        tmp_files_dir = "./gmsh_tmp"
+    else:
+        tmp_files_dir = None
+
     from gmsh_interop.runner import GmshRunner
     from gmsh_interop.reader import parse_gmsh
     with GmshRunner(source, dimensions, order=order,
             other_options=other_options, extension=extension,
-            gmsh_executable=gmsh_executable) as runner:
+            gmsh_executable=gmsh_executable,
+            output_file_name=output_file_name,
+            save_tmp_files_in=tmp_files_dir,
+            overwrite_tmp_files=overwrite_tmp_files) as runner:
         parse_gmsh(recv, runner.output_file,
                 force_dimension=force_ambient_dim)