diff --git a/scripts/check-uninsane b/scripts/check-uninsane
index d3a8ad9e..4bda812c 100755
--- a/scripts/check-uninsane
+++ b/scripts/check-uninsane
@@ -55,7 +55,17 @@ check "servo-hn wireguard network" ping -c 1 -W 3 servo-hn
 
 check "git.uninsane.org" git ls-remote origin --quiet
 
-check "ftp://uninsane.org" lftpget ftp://uninsane.org/README.md && rm README.md
+lftpgetIntoTmp() {
+  local url="$1"
+  local localName="$2"
+  (
+    # run these commands in a subshell to preserve the old PWD
+    pushd /tmp
+    rm -f "$localName"
+    lftpget "$url"
+  )
+}
+check "ftp://uninsane.org" lftpgetIntoTmp ftp://uninsane.org/README.md README.md
 
 echo ""
 echo "systemctl --failed:"