diff --git a/cmd/zt_interceptors_for_test.go b/cmd/zt_interceptors_for_test.go
index 9bdbcfeb9..6fad151c9 100644
--- a/cmd/zt_interceptors_for_test.go
+++ b/cmd/zt_interceptors_for_test.go
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ type mockedLifecycleManager struct {
 	outputFormat common.OutputFormat
 }
 
+func (m *mockedLifecycleManager) DownloadToTempPath() bool {
+	return false
+}
+
 func (m *mockedLifecycleManager) Progress(o common.OutputBuilder) {
 	select {
 	case m.progressLog <- o(common.EOutputFormat.Text()):
diff --git a/common/environment.go b/common/environment.go
index b0cae578a..203160ca4 100644
--- a/common/environment.go
+++ b/common/environment.go
@@ -361,3 +361,11 @@ func (EnvironmentVariable) MimeMapping() EnvironmentVariable {
 		Description:  "Location of the file to override default OS mime mapping",
 	}
 }
+
+func (EnvironmentVariable) DownloadToTempPath() EnvironmentVariable {
+	return EnvironmentVariable {
+		Name:        "AZCOPY_DOWNLOAD_TO_TEMP_PATH",
+		DefaultValue: "true",
+		Description: "Configures azcopy to download to a temp path before actual download. Allowed values are true/false",
+	}
+}
diff --git a/common/lifecyleMgr.go b/common/lifecyleMgr.go
index 1b6107ad8..2d21417d7 100644
--- a/common/lifecyleMgr.go
+++ b/common/lifecyleMgr.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ type LifecycleMgr interface {
 	RegisterCloseFunc(func())
 	SetForceLogging()
 	IsForceLoggingDisabled() bool
+	DownloadToTempPath() bool
 }
 
 func GetLifecycleMgr() LifecycleMgr {
@@ -590,6 +591,15 @@ func (lcm *lifecycleMgr) IsForceLoggingDisabled() bool {
 	return lcm.disableSyslog
 }
 
+func (lcm *lifecycleMgr) DownloadToTempPath() bool {
+	ret, err := strconv.ParseBool(lcm.GetEnvironmentVariable(EEnvironmentVariable.DownloadToTempPath()))
+	if err != nil {
+		// By default we'll download to temp path
+		ret = true
+	}
+	return ret
+}
+
 // captures the common logic of exiting if there's an expected error
 func PanicIfErr(err error) {
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/ste/xfer-remoteToLocal-file.go b/ste/xfer-remoteToLocal-file.go
index b09f55a38..5b93c8a26 100644
--- a/ste/xfer-remoteToLocal-file.go
+++ b/ste/xfer-remoteToLocal-file.go
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ func remoteToLocal_file(jptm IJobPartTransferMgr, p pipeline.Pipeline, pacer pac
 		// to correct name.
 		pseudoId := common.NewPseudoChunkIDForWholeFile(info.Source)
 		jptm.LogChunkStatus(pseudoId, common.EWaitReason.CreateLocalFile())
-		dstFile, err = createDestinationFile(jptm, info.getTempDownloadPath(), fileSize, writeThrough)
+		dstFile, err = createDestinationFile(jptm, info.getDownloadPath(), fileSize, writeThrough)
 		jptm.LogChunkStatus(pseudoId, common.EWaitReason.ChunkDone()) // normal setting to done doesn't apply to these pseudo ids
 		if err != nil {
 			failFileCreation(err)
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ func epilogueWithCleanupDownload(jptm IJobPartTransferMgr, dl downloader, active
 
 			// check length if enabled (except for dev null and decompression case, where that's impossible)
 			if info.DestLengthValidation && info.Destination != common.Dev_Null && !jptm.ShouldDecompress() {
-				fi, err := common.OSStat(info.getTempDownloadPath())
+				fi, err := common.OSStat(info.getDownloadPath())
 
 				if err != nil {
 					jptm.FailActiveDownload("Download length check", err)
@@ -351,14 +351,16 @@ func epilogueWithCleanupDownload(jptm IJobPartTransferMgr, dl downloader, active
 				}
 			}
 
-			//Rename back to original name. At this point, we're sure the file is completely
+			//check if we need to rename back to original name. At this point, we're sure the file is completely
 			//downloaded and not corrupt. Infact, post this point we should only log errors and
 			//not fail the transfer.
-			if err == nil && !strings.EqualFold(info.Destination, common.Dev_Null) {
-				renameErr := os.Rename(info.getTempDownloadPath(), info.Destination)
+			renameNecessary := !strings.EqualFold(info.getDownloadPath(), info.Destination) && 
+			                   !strings.EqualFold(info.Destination, common.Dev_Null)
+			if err == nil && renameNecessary {
+				renameErr := os.Rename(info.getDownloadPath(), info.Destination)
 				if renameErr != nil {
 					jptm.LogError(info.Destination, fmt.Sprintf(
-						"Failed to rename. File at %s", info.getTempDownloadPath()), renameErr)
+						"Failed to rename. File at %s", info.getDownloadPath()), renameErr)
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -461,19 +463,23 @@ func tryDeleteFile(info TransferInfo, jptm IJobPartTransferMgr) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	err := deleteFile(info.getTempDownloadPath())
+	err := deleteFile(info.getDownloadPath())
 	if err != nil {
 		// If there was an error deleting the file, log the error
 		jptm.LogError(info.Destination, "Delete File Error ", err)
 	}
 }
 
-//Returns the path of temp file to be downloaded. The paths is in format
+// Returns the path of file to be downloaded. If we want to
+// download to a temp path we return a temp paht in format 
 // /actual/parent/path/.azDownload-<jobID>-<actualFileName>
-func (info *TransferInfo) getTempDownloadPath() string {
-	parent, fileName := filepath.Split(info.Destination)
-	fileName = fmt.Sprintf(azcopyTempDownloadPrefix, info.JobID.String()) + fileName
-	return filepath.Join(parent, fileName)
+func (info *TransferInfo) getDownloadPath() string {
+	if common.GetLifecycleMgr().DownloadToTempPath() {
+		parent, fileName := filepath.Split(info.Destination)
+		fileName = fmt.Sprintf(azcopyTempDownloadPrefix, info.JobID.String()) + fileName
+		return filepath.Join(parent, fileName)
+	}
+	return info.Destination
 }
 
 // conforms to io.Writer and io.Closer