--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -2,25 +2,53 @@ require "spec"
 require "logger"
 
 $logger = Logger.new($stderr)
-$logger.level = Logger::INFO
+$logger.level = Logger::INFO unless $DEBUG
 
 describe "A local repository", :shared => true do
   def logger
     $logger
   end
 
-  before do
-    @repos_dir = File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "tmp", "repos"))
+  def tmppath(*paths)
+    parts = [File.dirname(__FILE__), "tmp"]
+    parts << (@root_time ||= Time.now.to_i.to_s)
+    parts += paths
+    parts << rand().to_s.split(".").last
+    parts.collect! {|path| path.to_s}
+    path = File.join(*parts)
+    attempts = 10
+    while File.exists?(path)
+      path.succ!
+      attempts -= 1
+      raise "Unable to find a good temp pathname: #{path.inspect}" if attempts.zero?
+    end
+    
+    File.expand_path(path)
+  end
 
-    logger.debug {"Removing #{@repos_dir.inspect}"}
-    FileUtils.rm_rf(@repos_dir)
+  before do
+    @repos_dir = self.tmppath(:repos)
+    logger.debug {@repos_dir.inspect}
 
     @repos = Piston::Repository.new("file://" + @repos_dir)
     @repos.logger = self.logger
   end
 
   after do
-    logger.debug {"Removing #{@repos_dir.inspect}"}
-    FileUtils.rm_rf(@repos_dir)
+    path = File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "tmp"))
+    logger.debug {"Removing #{path.inspect}"}
+    FileUtils.rm_rf(path)
+  end
+end
+
+describe "A working copy against a local repository", :shared => true do
+  it_should_behave_like "A local repository"
+
+  before do
+    @repos.create!
+
+    @wcdir = self.tmppath(:wc)
+    @wc = Piston::WorkingCopy.new(@wcdir)
+    @wc.logger = self.logger
   end
 end

--- a/spec/working_copy_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/working_copy_spec.rb
@@ -3,22 +3,6 @@ require "piston/working_copy"
 require "piston/repository"
 require "fileutils"
 
-describe "A working copy against a local repository", :shared => true do
-  it_should_behave_like "A local repository"
-
-  before do
-    @repos.create!
-    @wcdir = File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "..", "tmp", "wc"))
-    FileUtils.rm_rf(@wcdir)
-    @wc = Piston::WorkingCopy.new(@wcdir)
-    @wc.logger = self.logger
-  end
-
-  after do
-    FileUtils.rm_rf(@wcdir)
-  end
-end
-
 describe Piston::WorkingCopy do
   it_should_behave_like "A working copy against a local repository"