diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index d7ae418..a5d6114 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 
 type Config struct {
 	CacheDir           string  `json:"cachedir"`
+	DiffDir            string  `json:"diffdir"`
 	Connection         string  `json:"connection"`
 	MappingFile        string  `json:"mapping"`
 	LimitTo            string  `json:"limitto"`
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ var DiffFlags = flag.NewFlagSet("diff", flag.ExitOnError)
 type _BaseOptions struct {
 	Connection         string
 	CacheDir           string
+	DiffDir            string
 	MappingFile        string
 	Srid               int
 	LimitTo            string
@@ -101,6 +103,14 @@ func (o *_BaseOptions) updateFromConfig() error {
 	if o.CacheDir == defaultCacheDir {
 		o.CacheDir = conf.CacheDir
 	}
+	if o.DiffDir == "" {
+		if conf.DiffDir == "" {
+			// use CacheDir for backwards compatibility
+			o.DiffDir = o.CacheDir
+		} else {
+			o.DiffDir = conf.DiffDir
+		}
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -133,6 +143,7 @@ var ImportOptions = _ImportOptions{}
 func addBaseFlags(flags *flag.FlagSet) {
 	flags.StringVar(&BaseOptions.Connection, "connection", "", "connection parameters")
 	flags.StringVar(&BaseOptions.CacheDir, "cachedir", defaultCacheDir, "cache directory")
+	flags.StringVar(&BaseOptions.DiffDir, "diffdir", "", "diff directory for last.state.txt")
 	flags.StringVar(&BaseOptions.MappingFile, "mapping", "", "mapping file")
 	flags.IntVar(&BaseOptions.Srid, "srid", defaultSrid, "srs id")
 	flags.StringVar(&BaseOptions.LimitTo, "limitto", "", "limit to geometries")
diff --git a/diff/process.go b/diff/process.go
index a7a4eaf..7f5154b 100644
--- a/diff/process.go
+++ b/diff/process.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func Update(oscFile string, geometryLimiter *limit.Limiter, expireor expire.Expi
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	lastState, err := diffstate.ParseLastState(config.BaseOptions.CacheDir)
+	lastState, err := diffstate.ParseLastState(config.BaseOptions.DiffDir)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Warn(err)
 	}
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ For:
 		if lastState != nil {
 			state.Url = lastState.Url
 		}
-		err = diffstate.WriteLastState(config.BaseOptions.CacheDir, state)
+		err = diffstate.WriteLastState(config.BaseOptions.DiffDir, state)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Warn(err) // warn only
 		}
diff --git a/import_/import.go b/import_/import.go
index 1f334e4..cc0f656 100644
--- a/import_/import.go
+++ b/import_/import.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Package import_ provides the import sub command initial imports.
 package import_
 
 import (
+	"os"
 	"path"
 
 	"imposm3/cache"
@@ -119,7 +120,11 @@ func Import() {
 		log.StopStep(step)
 		diffstate := state.FromPbf(pbfFile)
 		if diffstate != nil {
-			diffstate.WriteToFile(path.Join(config.BaseOptions.CacheDir, "last.state.txt"))
+			os.MkdirAll(config.BaseOptions.DiffDir, 0755)
+			err := diffstate.WriteToFile(path.Join(config.BaseOptions.DiffDir, "last.state.txt"))
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Print("error writing last.state.txt: ", err)
+			}
 		}
 	}