diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index b339cfc..b82ee2c 100755
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ type Config struct {
 	// Cluster parallelism
 	ClusterParallelism int // Number of concurrent databases during cluster operations (0 = sequential)
 
+	// Working directory for large operations (extraction, diagnosis)
+	WorkDir string // Alternative temp directory for large operations (default: system temp)
+
 	// Swap file management (for large backups)
 	SwapFilePath   string // Path to temporary swap file
 	SwapFileSizeGB int    // Size in GB (0 = disabled)
diff --git a/internal/config/persist.go b/internal/config/persist.go
index 8cda5e4..9302b61 100755
--- a/internal/config/persist.go
+++ b/internal/config/persist.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ type LocalConfig struct {
 
 	// Backup settings
 	BackupDir   string
+	WorkDir     string // Working directory for large operations
 	Compression int
 	Jobs        int
 	DumpJobs    int
@@ -97,6 +98,8 @@ func LoadLocalConfig() (*LocalConfig, error) {
 			switch key {
 			case "backup_dir":
 				cfg.BackupDir = value
+			case "work_dir":
+				cfg.WorkDir = value
 			case "compression":
 				if c, err := strconv.Atoi(value); err == nil {
 					cfg.Compression = c
@@ -174,6 +177,9 @@ func SaveLocalConfig(cfg *LocalConfig) error {
 	if cfg.BackupDir != "" {
 		sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("backup_dir = %s\n", cfg.BackupDir))
 	}
+	if cfg.WorkDir != "" {
+		sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("work_dir = %s\n", cfg.WorkDir))
+	}
 	if cfg.Compression != 0 {
 		sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("compression = %d\n", cfg.Compression))
 	}
@@ -244,6 +250,9 @@ func ApplyLocalConfig(cfg *Config, local *LocalConfig) {
 	if local.BackupDir != "" {
 		cfg.BackupDir = local.BackupDir
 	}
+	if local.WorkDir != "" {
+		cfg.WorkDir = local.WorkDir
+	}
 	if cfg.CompressionLevel == 6 && local.Compression != 0 {
 		cfg.CompressionLevel = local.Compression
 	}
@@ -280,6 +289,7 @@ func ConfigFromConfig(cfg *Config) *LocalConfig {
 		Database:      cfg.Database,
 		SSLMode:       cfg.SSLMode,
 		BackupDir:     cfg.BackupDir,
+		WorkDir:       cfg.WorkDir,
 		Compression:   cfg.CompressionLevel,
 		Jobs:          cfg.Jobs,
 		DumpJobs:      cfg.DumpJobs,
diff --git a/internal/tui/diagnose_view.go b/internal/tui/diagnose_view.go
index f2d2316..a4b7bee 100644
--- a/internal/tui/diagnose_view.go
+++ b/internal/tui/diagnose_view.go
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ func runDiagnosis(cfg *config.Config, log logger.Logger, archive ArchiveInfo) te
 
 		// For cluster archives, we can do deep analysis
 		if archive.Format.IsClusterBackup() {
-			// Create temp directory
-			tempDir, err := createTempDir("dbbackup-diagnose-*")
+			// Create temp directory (use WorkDir if configured for large archives)
+			tempDir, err := createTempDirIn(cfg.WorkDir, "dbbackup-diagnose-*")
 			if err != nil {
 				return diagnoseCompleteMsg{err: fmt.Errorf("failed to create temp dir: %w", err)}
 			}
@@ -445,6 +445,17 @@ func createTempDir(pattern string) (string, error) {
 	return os.MkdirTemp("", pattern)
 }
 
+func createTempDirIn(baseDir, pattern string) (string, error) {
+	if baseDir == "" {
+		return os.MkdirTemp("", pattern)
+	}
+	// Ensure base directory exists
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(baseDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("cannot create work directory: %w", err)
+	}
+	return os.MkdirTemp(baseDir, pattern)
+}
+
 func removeTempDir(path string) error {
 	return os.RemoveAll(path)
 }
diff --git a/internal/tui/restore_exec.go b/internal/tui/restore_exec.go
index b969874..105e008 100755
--- a/internal/tui/restore_exec.go
+++ b/internal/tui/restore_exec.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ type RestoreExecutionModel struct {
 	cleanClusterFirst bool     // Drop all user databases before cluster restore
 	existingDBs       []string // List of databases to drop
 	saveDebugLog      bool     // Save detailed error report on failure
+	workDir           string   // Custom work directory for extraction
 
 	// Progress tracking
 	status        string
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ type RestoreExecutionModel struct {
 }
 
 // NewRestoreExecution creates a new restore execution model
-func NewRestoreExecution(cfg *config.Config, log logger.Logger, parent tea.Model, ctx context.Context, archive ArchiveInfo, targetDB string, cleanFirst, createIfMissing bool, restoreType string, cleanClusterFirst bool, existingDBs []string, saveDebugLog bool) RestoreExecutionModel {
+func NewRestoreExecution(cfg *config.Config, log logger.Logger, parent tea.Model, ctx context.Context, archive ArchiveInfo, targetDB string, cleanFirst, createIfMissing bool, restoreType string, cleanClusterFirst bool, existingDBs []string, saveDebugLog bool, workDir string) RestoreExecutionModel {
 	return RestoreExecutionModel{
 		config:            cfg,
 		logger:            log,
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ func NewRestoreExecution(cfg *config.Config, log logger.Logger, parent tea.Model
 		cleanClusterFirst: cleanClusterFirst,
 		existingDBs:       existingDBs,
 		saveDebugLog:      saveDebugLog,
+		workDir:           workDir,
 		status:            "Initializing...",
 		phase:             "Starting",
 		startTime:         time.Now(),
diff --git a/internal/tui/restore_preview.go b/internal/tui/restore_preview.go
index ef452b0..bb8d3c7 100755
--- a/internal/tui/restore_preview.go
+++ b/internal/tui/restore_preview.go
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ type RestorePreviewModel struct {
 	canProceed        bool
 	message           string
 	saveDebugLog      bool   // Save detailed error report on failure
+	workDir           string // Custom work directory for extraction
 }
 
 // NewRestorePreview creates a new restore preview
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ func NewRestorePreview(cfg *config.Config, log logger.Logger, parent tea.Model,
 		cleanFirst:      false,
 		createIfMissing: true,
 		checking:        true,
+		workDir:         cfg.WorkDir, // Use configured work directory
 		safetyChecks: []SafetyCheck{
 			{Name: "Archive integrity", Status: "pending", Critical: true},
 			{Name: "Dump validity", Status: "pending", Critical: true},
@@ -280,6 +282,18 @@ func (m RestorePreviewModel) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 				m.message = "Debug log: disabled"
 			}
 
+		case "w":
+			// Toggle/set work directory
+			if m.workDir == "" {
+				// Set to backup directory as default alternative
+				m.workDir = m.config.BackupDir
+				m.message = infoStyle.Render(fmt.Sprintf("📁 Work directory set to: %s", m.workDir))
+			} else {
+				// Clear work directory (use system temp)
+				m.workDir = ""
+				m.message = "Work directory: using system temp"
+			}
+
 		case "enter", " ":
 			if m.checking {
 				m.message = "Please wait for safety checks to complete..."
@@ -292,7 +306,7 @@ func (m RestorePreviewModel) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			}
 
 			// Proceed to restore execution
-			exec := NewRestoreExecution(m.config, m.logger, m.parent, m.ctx, m.archive, m.targetDB, m.cleanFirst, m.createIfMissing, m.mode, m.cleanClusterFirst, m.existingDBs, m.saveDebugLog)
+			exec := NewRestoreExecution(m.config, m.logger, m.parent, m.ctx, m.archive, m.targetDB, m.cleanFirst, m.createIfMissing, m.mode, m.cleanClusterFirst, m.existingDBs, m.saveDebugLog, m.workDir)
 			return exec, exec.Init()
 		}
 	}
@@ -430,6 +444,24 @@ func (m RestorePreviewModel) View() string {
 	// Advanced Options
 	s.WriteString(archiveHeaderStyle.Render("⚙️  Advanced Options"))
 	s.WriteString("\n")
+	
+	// Work directory option
+	workDirIcon := "✗"
+	workDirStyle := infoStyle
+	workDirValue := "(system temp)"
+	if m.workDir != "" {
+		workDirIcon = "✓"
+		workDirStyle = checkPassedStyle
+		workDirValue = m.workDir
+	}
+	s.WriteString(workDirStyle.Render(fmt.Sprintf("  %s Work Dir: %s (press 'w' to toggle)", workDirIcon, workDirValue)))
+	s.WriteString("\n")
+	if m.workDir == "" {
+		s.WriteString(infoStyle.Render("    ⚠️  Large archives need more space than /tmp may have"))
+		s.WriteString("\n")
+	}
+	
+	// Debug log option
 	debugIcon := "✗"
 	debugStyle := infoStyle
 	if m.saveDebugLog {
@@ -457,15 +489,15 @@ func (m RestorePreviewModel) View() string {
 		s.WriteString(successStyle.Render("✅ Ready to restore"))
 		s.WriteString("\n")
 		if m.mode == "restore-single" {
-			s.WriteString(infoStyle.Render("⌨️  t: Clean-first | c: Create | d: Debug log | Enter: Proceed | Esc: Cancel"))
+			s.WriteString(infoStyle.Render("⌨️  t: Clean-first | c: Create | w: WorkDir | d: Debug | Enter: Proceed | Esc: Cancel"))
 		} else if m.mode == "restore-cluster" {
 			if m.existingDBCount > 0 {
-				s.WriteString(infoStyle.Render("⌨️  c: Cleanup | d: Debug log | Enter: Proceed | Esc: Cancel"))
+				s.WriteString(infoStyle.Render("⌨️  c: Cleanup | w: WorkDir | d: Debug | Enter: Proceed | Esc: Cancel"))
 			} else {
-				s.WriteString(infoStyle.Render("⌨️  d: Debug log | Enter: Proceed | Esc: Cancel"))
+				s.WriteString(infoStyle.Render("⌨️  w: WorkDir | d: Debug | Enter: Proceed | Esc: Cancel"))
 			}
 		} else {
-			s.WriteString(infoStyle.Render("⌨️  d: Debug log | Enter: Proceed | Esc: Cancel"))
+			s.WriteString(infoStyle.Render("⌨️  w: WorkDir | d: Debug | Enter: Proceed | Esc: Cancel"))
 		}
 	} else {
 		s.WriteString(errorStyle.Render("❌ Cannot proceed - please fix errors above"))
diff --git a/internal/tui/settings.go b/internal/tui/settings.go
index 1850876..9a827d1 100755
--- a/internal/tui/settings.go
+++ b/internal/tui/settings.go
@@ -115,6 +115,26 @@ func NewSettingsModel(cfg *config.Config, log logger.Logger, parent tea.Model) S
 			Type:        "path",
 			Description: "Directory where backup files will be stored",
 		},
+		{
+			Key:         "work_dir",
+			DisplayName: "Work Directory",
+			Value: func(c *config.Config) string {
+				if c.WorkDir == "" {
+					return "(system temp)"
+				}
+				return c.WorkDir
+			},
+			Update: func(c *config.Config, v string) error {
+				if v == "" || v == "(system temp)" {
+					c.WorkDir = ""
+					return nil
+				}
+				c.WorkDir = filepath.Clean(v)
+				return nil
+			},
+			Type:        "path",
+			Description: "Working directory for large operations (extraction, diagnosis). Use when /tmp is too small.",
+		},
 		{
 			Key:         "compression_level",
 			DisplayName: "Compression Level",