diff -r 2b7b203e3909 Modules/_cursesmodule.c
--- a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c	Wed Jan 11 20:18:03 2017 +0200
+++ b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c	Thu Jan 12 12:12:11 2017 +0100
@@ -1720,27 +1720,86 @@
     }
 }
 
+#define MKSTEMP_TEMPLATE_TERMINATOR ".XXXXXX"
+
+static FILE *
+mkstemp_with_dir(const char *tmpdir, const char *fname, char **fn, int raise)
+{
+    int fd;
+    size_t len;
+    FILE *fp = NULL;
+
+    len = strlen(tmpdir);
+    *fn = (char *)PyMem_Malloc(len + 1 + strlen(fname) +
+                               strlen(MKSTEMP_TEMPLATE_TERMINATOR) + 1);
+    if (*fn == NULL) {
+        PyErr_NoMemory();
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    strcpy(*fn, tmpdir);
+    if (len != 0 && tmpdir[len - 1] != '/')
+        strcat(*fn, "/");
+    strcat(*fn, fname);
+    strcat(*fn, MKSTEMP_TEMPLATE_TERMINATOR);
+
+    if ((fd = mkstemp(*fn)) != -1) {
+        if (_Py_set_inheritable(fd, 0, NULL) == 0 &&
+                (fp = fdopen(fd, "wb+")) != NULL) {
+            return fp;
+        }
+        remove(*fn);
+        close(fd);
+    }
+
+    PyMem_Free(*fn);
+    if (raise) {
+        if (PyErr_Occurred() == NULL)
+            PyErr_SetFromErrnoWithFilename(PyExc_IOError, *fn);
+    }
+    else {
+        if (PyErr_Occurred() != NULL)
+            PyErr_Clear();
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+static FILE *
+_mkstemp(const char *fname, char **fn)
+{
+    FILE *fp;
+    char **ptr;
+    char *env;
+    static char *envs[] = { "TMPDIR", "TEMP", "TMP", NULL};
+    static char *dirs[] = { "/tmp", "/var/tmp", "/usr/tmp" , NULL};
+
+    /* First, try the environment. */
+    for (ptr=envs; *ptr; ptr++) {
+        if ((env = getenv(*ptr)) == NULL)
+            continue;
+        if ((fp = mkstemp_with_dir(env, fname, fn, false)) != NULL)
+            return fp;
+    }
+
+    /* Failing that, try OS-specific locations. */
+    for (ptr=dirs; *ptr; ptr++)
+        if ((fp = mkstemp_with_dir(*ptr, fname, fn, false)) != NULL)
+            return fp;
+
+    /* As a last resort, the current directory. */
+    return  mkstemp_with_dir(".", fname, fn, true);
+}
+
 static PyObject *
 PyCursesWindow_PutWin(PyCursesWindowObject *self, PyObject *stream)
 {
     /* We have to simulate this by writing to a temporary FILE*,
        then reading back, then writing to the argument stream. */
-    char fn[100];
-    int fd = -1;
-    FILE *fp = NULL;
+    char *fn;
+    FILE *fp;
     PyObject *res = NULL;
 
-    strcpy(fn, "/tmp/py.curses.putwin.XXXXXX");
-    fd = mkstemp(fn);
-    if (fd < 0)
-        return PyErr_SetFromErrnoWithFilename(PyExc_IOError, fn);
-    if (_Py_set_inheritable(fd, 0, NULL) < 0)
-        goto exit;
-    fp = fdopen(fd, "wb+");
-    if (fp == NULL) {
-        PyErr_SetFromErrnoWithFilename(PyExc_IOError, fn);
-        goto exit;
-    }
+    if((fp = _mkstemp("py.curses.putwin", &fn)) == NULL)
+        return NULL;
     res = PyCursesCheckERR(putwin(self->win, fp), "putwin");
     if (res == NULL)
         goto exit;
@@ -1759,11 +1818,9 @@
     }
 
 exit:
-    if (fp != NULL)
-        fclose(fp);
-    else if (fd != -1)
-        close(fd);
+    fclose(fp);
     remove(fn);
+    PyMem_Free(fn);
     return res;
 }
 
@@ -2284,9 +2341,8 @@
 static PyObject *
 PyCurses_GetWin(PyCursesWindowObject *self, PyObject *stream)
 {
-    char fn[100];
-    int fd = -1;
-    FILE *fp = NULL;
+    char *fn;
+    FILE *fp;
     PyObject *data;
     size_t datalen;
     WINDOW *win;
@@ -2295,18 +2351,8 @@
 
     PyCursesInitialised;
 
-    strcpy(fn, "/tmp/py.curses.getwin.XXXXXX");
-    fd = mkstemp(fn);
-    if (fd < 0)
-        return PyErr_SetFromErrnoWithFilename(PyExc_IOError, fn);
-    if (_Py_set_inheritable(fd, 0, NULL) < 0)
-        goto error;
-    fp = fdopen(fd, "wb+");
-    if (fp == NULL) {
-        PyErr_SetFromErrnoWithFilename(PyExc_IOError, fn);
-        goto error;
-    }
-
+    if((fp = _mkstemp("py.curses.getwin", &fn)) == NULL)
+        return NULL;
     data = _PyObject_CallMethodId(stream, &PyId_read, NULL);
     if (data == NULL)
         goto error;
@@ -2334,11 +2380,9 @@
     res = PyCursesWindow_New(win, NULL);
 
 error:
-    if (fp != NULL)
-        fclose(fp);
-    else if (fd != -1)
-        close(fd);
+    fclose(fp);
     remove(fn);
+    PyMem_Free(fn);
     return res;
 }