diff --git a/zluda_cache/src/lib.rs b/zluda_cache/src/lib.rs
index acd262e..c3ac1be 100644
--- a/zluda_cache/src/lib.rs
+++ b/zluda_cache/src/lib.rs
@@ -22,18 +22,36 @@ pub struct ModuleCache(SqliteConnection);
 
 impl ModuleCache {
     pub fn create_cache_dir_and_get_path() -> Option<String> {
-        let mut cache_dir = dirs::cache_dir()?;
-        cache_dir.extend(["zluda", "ComputeCache"]);
+        let override_dir = std::env::var_os("ZLUDA_CACHE_DIR");
+        let cache_dir = match override_dir {
+            Some(path) => {
+                let path = std::path::PathBuf::from(path);
+                if !path.is_absolute() {
+                    eprintln!("[zluda-cache] ZLUDA_CACHE_DIR must be absolute; cache disabled");
+                    return None;
+                }
+                path
+            }
+            None => dirs::cache_dir()?.join("zluda").join("ComputeCache"),
+        };
+        Self::cache_path(&cache_dir)
+    }
+
+    fn cache_path(cache_dir: &std::path::Path) -> Option<String> {
         // We ensure that the cache directory exists
-        std::fs::create_dir_all(&cache_dir).ok()?;
+        if let Err(error) = std::fs::create_dir_all(cache_dir) {
+            eprintln!("[zluda-cache] cannot create {}: {error}; cache disabled", cache_dir.display());
+            return None;
+        }
         // No need to create the file, it will be created by SQLite on first access
         // zluda.db might be in use by older versions of ZLUDA
-        cache_dir.push("zluda2.db");
-        Some(cache_dir.to_string_lossy().into())
+        Some(cache_dir.join("zluda2.db").to_string_lossy().into())
     }
 
     pub fn open(file_path: &str) -> Option<Self> {
-        let mut conn = SqliteConnection::establish(file_path).ok()?;
+        let mut conn = SqliteConnection::establish(file_path).map_err(|error| {
+            eprintln!("[zluda-cache] cannot open {file_path}: {error}; cache disabled");
+        }).ok()?;
         conn.batch_execute("PRAGMA journal_mode = WAL; PRAGMA synchronous = NORMAL;")
             .ok()?;
         conn.run_pending_migrations(MIGRATIONS).ok()?;
@@ -86,6 +104,17 @@ mod tests {
     use arrayvec::ArrayString;
     use diesel::prelude::*;
 
+    #[test]
+    fn explicit_directory_creates_persistent_database() {
+        let directory = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("zluda-cache-test-{}-{}", std::process::id(), ModuleCache::time_now()));
+        let path = ModuleCache::cache_path(&directory).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(std::path::Path::new(&path), directory.join("zluda2.db"));
+        let cache = ModuleCache::open(&path).unwrap();
+        drop(cache);
+        assert!(std::path::Path::new(&path).is_file());
+        std::fs::remove_dir_all(directory).unwrap();
+    }
+
     #[derive(Queryable, Selectable)]
     #[diesel(table_name = crate::schema::modules)]
     #[diesel(check_for_backend(diesel::sqlite::Sqlite))]