diff --git a/githud.cabal b/githud.cabal
--- a/githud.cabal
+++ b/githud.cabal
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 cabal-version:       2.2
 name:                githud
-version:             3.1.0
+version:             3.2.0
 synopsis:            Heads up, and you see your GIT context
 description:         GIT Heads Up Display for your terminal prompt. More efficient replacement to the great git-radar. Please see README.md for more info
 homepage:            http://github.com/gbataille/gitHUD#readme
@@ -38,11 +38,12 @@
                     , daemons >= 0.2.1 && < 0.3
                     , data-default >= 0.7 && < 0.8
                     , directory >= 1.3 && < 1.4
-                    , process
-                    , parsec >= 3.1.13 && < 4
                     , mtl >= 2.2.2 && < 3
                     , network >=  2.8 && < 3.0
+                    , parsec >= 3.1.13 && < 4
+                    , process
                     , text >= 1.2 && < 1.3
+                    , temporary >= 1.3 && < 2
                     , unix >= 2.7 && < 3
                     , utf8-string >= 1.0 && < 1.1
   default-language:   Haskell2010
diff --git a/src/GitHUD/Config/Types.hs b/src/GitHUD/Config/Types.hs
--- a/src/GitHUD/Config/Types.hs
+++ b/src/GitHUD/Config/Types.hs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
   , defaultConfig
   ) where
 
+import System.IO.Temp (getCanonicalTemporaryDirectory)
+import System.IO.Unsafe (unsafePerformIO)
 import System.Posix.Daemon (Redirection(DevNull, ToFile))
 
 import GitHUD.Terminal.Types
@@ -91,6 +93,9 @@
   , confGithuddLogFilePath :: Redirection
 } deriving (Eq, Show)
 
+tempDir :: String
+tempDir = unsafePerformIO getCanonicalTemporaryDirectory
+
 defaultConfig :: Config
 defaultConfig = Config {
     confShowPartRepoIndicator = True
@@ -164,8 +169,8 @@
 
   , confRunFetcherDaemon = True
   , confGithuddSleepSeconds = 30
-  , confGithuddPidFilePath = "/usr/local/var/run/githudd.pid"
-  , confGithuddSocketFilePath = "/usr/local/var/run/githudd.socket"
+  , confGithuddPidFilePath = tempDir ++ "/githudd.pid"
+  , confGithuddSocketFilePath = tempDir ++ "/githudd.socket"
 
   , confGithuddLogFilePath = DevNull
 }
diff --git a/src/GitHUD/Debug.hs b/src/GitHUD/Debug.hs
--- a/src/GitHUD/Debug.hs
+++ b/src/GitHUD/Debug.hs
@@ -3,16 +3,36 @@
   debugOnStderr
   ) where
 
+import Control.Monad (when)
+import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe)
+import System.Environment (lookupEnv)
 import System.IO (stdout, stderr, hFlush, hPutStrLn)
 
+debugEnvVar :: String
+debugEnvVar = "GITHUD_DEBUG"
+
+debugEnvVarValue :: String
+debugEnvVarValue = "TRUE"
+
+isDebugActive :: IO Bool
+isDebugActive = do
+  env <- lookupEnv debugEnvVar
+  let debug = fromMaybe "FALSE" env
+  return $ debug == debugEnvVarValue
+
+whenDebugActive :: IO () -> IO ()
+whenDebugActive effect = do
+  debugActive <- isDebugActive
+  if debugActive then effect else return ()
+
 debug :: String
       -> IO ()
-debug msg = do
+debug msg = whenDebugActive $ do
   putStrLn msg
   hFlush stdout
 
 debugOnStderr :: String
               -> IO ()
-debugOnStderr msg = do
+debugOnStderr msg = whenDebugActive $ do
   hPutStrLn stderr msg
   hFlush stderr