diff --git a/cmd/kubectx/state.go b/cmd/kubectx/state.go
index d6571594..8090c0aa 100644
--- a/cmd/kubectx/state.go
+++ b/cmd/kubectx/state.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"cmp"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func kubectxPrevCtxFile() (string, error) {
-	home := cmdutil.HomeDir()
+	home := cmp.Or(os.Getenv("KUBECTX_DIR"), cmdutil.HomeDir())
 	if home == "" {
 		return "", errors.New("HOME or USERPROFILE environment variable not set")
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/kubens/statefile.go b/cmd/kubens/statefile.go
index b4e6305a..583ff79c 100644
--- a/cmd/kubens/statefile.go
+++ b/cmd/kubens/statefile.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"cmp"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ahmetb/kubectx/internal/cmdutil"
 )
 
-var defaultDir = filepath.Join(cmdutil.HomeDir(), ".kube", "kubens")
+var defaultDir = filepath.Join(cmp.Or(os.Getenv("KUBECTX_DIR"), cmdutil.HomeDir()), ".kube", "kubens")
 
 type NSFile struct {
 	dir string
diff --git a/internal/kubeconfig/kubeconfigloader.go b/internal/kubeconfig/kubeconfigloader.go
index 2fa26b8d..7613befe 100644
--- a/internal/kubeconfig/kubeconfigloader.go
+++ b/internal/kubeconfig/kubeconfigloader.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 package kubeconfig
 
 import (
+	"cmp"
 	"github.com/ahmetb/kubectx/internal/cmdutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ func kubeconfigPath() (string, error) {
 	}
 
 	// default path
-	home := cmdutil.HomeDir()
+	home := cmp.Or(os.Getenv("KUBECTX_DIR"), cmdutil.HomeDir())
 	if home == "" {
 		return "", errors.New("HOME or USERPROFILE environment variable not set")
 	}
diff --git a/kubectx b/kubectx
index 12ea40c1..cbc6f076 100755
--- a/kubectx
+++ b/kubectx
@@ -16,14 +16,15 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-[[ -n $DEBUG ]] && set -x
+[[ -n $DEBUG ]] && set -xKUBECTX
 
 set -eou pipefail
 IFS=$'\n\t'
 
 SELF_CMD="$0"
 
-KUBECTX="${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.kube}/kubectx"
+[ -v KUBECTX_DIR ] && KUBECTX_DIR=${KUBECTX_DIR}/.kube/kubectx
+KUBECTX="${KUBECTX_DIR:-${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.kube}/kubectx}"
 
 usage() {
   local SELF
diff --git a/kubens b/kubens
index 8d5df32e..1451c03a 100755
--- a/kubens
+++ b/kubens
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ IFS=$'\n\t'
 
 SELF_CMD="$0"
 
-KUBENS_DIR="${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.kube}/kubens"
+[ -v KUBENS_DIR ] && KUBENS_DIR=${KUBENS_DIR}/.kube/kubectx
+KUBENS_DIR="${KUBENS_DIR:-${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.kube}/kubectx}"
 
 usage() {
   local SELF