diff --git a/application/main.cpp b/application/main.cpp
index c8af213..3142703 100644
--- a/application/main.cpp
+++ b/application/main.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ SetTagInfoArgs::SetTagInfoArgs(Argument &filesArg, Argument &verboseArg) :
     forceRewriteArg("force-rewrite", '\0', "forces the file to rewritten from the scratch which ensures a backup is created and the preferred padding is used"),
     valuesArg("values", 'n', "specifies the values to be set"),
     outputFilesArg("output-files", 'o', "specifies the output files; if present, the files specified with --files will not be modified"),
+    backupDirArg("temp-dir", '\0', "specifies the directory for temporary/backup files", {"path"}),
     setTagInfoArg("set", 's', "sets the specified tag information and attachments")
 {
     docTitleArg.setCombinable(true);
@@ -150,7 +151,7 @@ SetTagInfoArgs::SetTagInfoArgs(Argument &filesArg, Argument &verboseArg) :
     setTagInfoArg.setSubArguments({&valuesArg, &filesArg, &docTitleArg, &removeOtherFieldsArg, &treatUnknownFilesAsMp3FilesArg, &id3v1UsageArg, &id3v2UsageArg, &id3InitOnCreateArg, &id3TransferOnRemovalArg,
                                          &mergeMultipleSuccessiveTagsArg, &id3v2VersionArg, &encodingArg, &removeTargetArg, &addAttachmentArg, &updateAttachmentArg, &removeAttachmentArg,
                                          &removeExistingAttachmentsArg, &minPaddingArg, &maxPaddingArg, &prefPaddingArg, &tagPosArg,
-                                         &indexPosArg, &forceRewriteArg, &verboseArg, &outputFilesArg});
+                                         &indexPosArg, &forceRewriteArg, &backupDirArg, &verboseArg, &outputFilesArg});
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/cli/mainfeatures.cpp b/cli/mainfeatures.cpp
index 0772714..2aed726 100644
--- a/cli/mainfeatures.cpp
+++ b/cli/mainfeatures.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <tagparser/abstracttrack.h>
 #include <tagparser/abstractattachment.h>
 #include <tagparser/abstractchapter.h>
+#include <tagparser/backuphelper.h>
 
 #ifdef TAGEDITOR_JSON_EXPORT
 # include <reflective_rapidjson/json/reflector.h>
@@ -446,6 +447,11 @@ void setTagInfo(const SetTagInfoArgs &args)
     fileInfo.setForceIndexPosition(args.forceIndexPosArg.isPresent());
     fileInfo.setForceRewrite(args.forceRewriteArg.isPresent());
 
+    // set backup path
+    if(args.backupDirArg.isPresent()) {
+        BackupHelper::backupDirectory() = args.backupDirArg.values().front();
+    }
+
     // iterate through all specified files
     unsigned int fileIndex = 0;
     static const string context("setting tags");
@@ -498,14 +504,12 @@ void setTagInfo(const SetTagInfoArgs &args)
                 denotedValues.relevantValues.clear();
                 unsigned int currentFileIndex = 0;
                 for(FieldValue &denotatedValue : denotedValues.allValues) {
-                    if(denotatedValue.fileIndex <= fileIndex) {
-                        if(relevantDenotedValues.empty() || (denotatedValue.fileIndex >= currentFileIndex)) {
-                            if(currentFileIndex != denotatedValue.fileIndex) {
-                                currentFileIndex = denotatedValue.fileIndex;
-                                relevantDenotedValues.clear();
-                            }
-                            relevantDenotedValues.push_back(&denotatedValue);
+                    if((denotatedValue.fileIndex <= fileIndex) && (relevantDenotedValues.empty() || (denotatedValue.fileIndex >= currentFileIndex))) {
+                        if(currentFileIndex != denotatedValue.fileIndex) {
+                            currentFileIndex = denotatedValue.fileIndex;
+                            relevantDenotedValues.clear();
                         }
+                        relevantDenotedValues.push_back(&denotatedValue);
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/cli/mainfeatures.h b/cli/mainfeatures.h
index 72f0ef2..032bc2d 100644
--- a/cli/mainfeatures.h
+++ b/cli/mainfeatures.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ struct SetTagInfoArgs
     ApplicationUtilities::Argument forceRewriteArg;
     ApplicationUtilities::Argument valuesArg;
     ApplicationUtilities::Argument outputFilesArg;
+    ApplicationUtilities::ConfigValueArgument backupDirArg;
     ApplicationUtilities::Argument setTagInfoArg;
 };
 
diff --git a/tests/cli.cpp b/tests/cli.cpp
index d056581..a495133 100644
--- a/tests/cli.cpp
+++ b/tests/cli.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include <c++utilities/conversion/stringconversion.h>
 #include <c++utilities/io/catchiofailure.h>
 #include <c++utilities/io/misc.h>
+#include <c++utilities/io/path.h>
 #include <c++utilities/tests/testutils.h>
 
 #include <tagparser/mediafileinfo.h>
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ class CliTests : public TestFixture
     CPPUNIT_TEST(testEncodingOption);
     CPPUNIT_TEST(testMultipleFiles);
     CPPUNIT_TEST(testOutputFile);
+    CPPUNIT_TEST(testBackupDir);
     CPPUNIT_TEST(testMultipleValuesPerField);
     CPPUNIT_TEST(testHandlingAttachments);
     CPPUNIT_TEST(testDisplayingInfo);
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@ public:
     void testEncodingOption();
     void testMultipleFiles();
     void testOutputFile();
+    void testBackupDir();
     void testMultipleValuesPerField();
     void testHandlingAttachments();
     void testDisplayingInfo();
@@ -492,6 +495,34 @@ void CliTests::testOutputFile()
     remove("/tmp/test1.mkv"), remove("/tmp/test2.mkv");
 }
 
+/*!
+ * \brief Tests the "--temp-dir /some/path" option of the set operation.
+ */
+void CliTests::testBackupDir()
+{
+    cout << "\nSpecifying a backup/temp dir for set operation" << endl;
+    string stdout, stderr;
+    const string mkvFileName("matroska_wave1/test1.mkv");
+    const auto mkvFile(workingCopyPath(mkvFileName));
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(mkvFile.size() >= mkvFileName.size());
+    const auto backupDir(mkvFile.substr(0, mkvFile.size() - mkvFileName.size()));
+
+    const char *const args1[] = {"tageditor", "set", "target-level=30", "title=test1","-f", mkvFile.data(), "--temp-dir", "..", nullptr};
+    TESTUTILS_ASSERT_EXEC(args1);
+
+    // specified output file contains new title
+    const char *const args2[] = {"tageditor", "get", "-f", mkvFile.data(), nullptr};
+    TESTUTILS_ASSERT_EXEC(args2);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(testContainsSubstrings(stdout, {
+                                          " - \e[1mMatroska tag targeting \"level 30 'track, song, chapter'\"\e[0m\n"
+                                          "    Title             test1\n",
+                                      }));
+
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(0, remove(mkvFile.data()));
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL(0, remove((backupDir + "test1.mkv").data()));
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(remove((mkvFile + ".bak").c_str()));
+}
+
 /*!
  * \brief Tests tagging multiple values per field.
  */