diff --git a/gnu/packages/tex.scm b/gnu/packages/tex.scm
index b1ef5f5af06..aa2c74645ad 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/tex.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/tex.scm
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 ;;; Copyright © 2020 Vincent Legoll <vincent.legoll@gmail.com>
 ;;; Copyright © 2020, 2021 Paul Garlick <pgarlick@tourbillion-technology.com>
 ;;; Copyright © 2021, 2022 Maxim Cournoyer <maxim@guixotic.coop>
-;;; Copyright © 2021-2025 Nicolas Goaziou <mail@nicolasgoaziou.fr>
+;;; Copyright © 2021-2026 Nicolas Goaziou <mail@nicolasgoaziou.fr>
 ;;; Copyright © 2021 Leo Le Bouter <lle-bout@zaclys.net>
 ;;; Copyright © 2021 Xinglu Chen <public@yoctocell.xyz>
 ;;; Copyright © 2021 Ivan Gankevich <i.gankevich@spbu.ru>
@@ -93839,7 +93839,7 @@ in terms of the collating order of the text being processed.")
               ;; HOME and therefore TEXMFVAR are unavailable.  Use a local
               ;; TEXMFVAR instead.
               (lambda _
-                (setenv "TEXMFVAR" (string-append (getcwd) "/texmf-var"))))
+                (setenv "TEXMFVAR" "/tmp")))
             (add-before 'install 'create-missing-directory
               ;; XXX: Install process does not create this directory.
               (lambda _
diff --git a/guix/build/texlive-build-system.scm b/guix/build/texlive-build-system.scm
index ec4466c0cf4..5695d18f9b2 100644
--- a/guix/build/texlive-build-system.scm
+++ b/guix/build/texlive-build-system.scm
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ;;; Copyright © 2017 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
 ;;; Copyright © 2021 Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer@gmail.com>
 ;;; Copyright © 2021 Thiago Jung Bauermann <bauermann@kolabnow.com>
-;;; Copyright © 2023-2025 Nicolas Goaziou <mail@nicolasgoaziou.fr>
+;;; Copyright © 2023-2026 Nicolas Goaziou <mail@nicolasgoaziou.fr>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ generation also needs to be wrapped within a `faketime' call in the
   ;; Default TEXMFVAR value is relative to $HOME, which is not set during
   ;; build.  This location is used for generating font metrics or building
   ;; documentation.
-  (setenv "TEXMFVAR" (string-append (getcwd) "/texmf-var"))
+  (setenv "TEXMFVAR" (or (getenv "TMPDIR") "/tmp"))
   ;; By default, a "ls-R" file must exist in TEXMFDIST.  However, it isn't
   ;; generated in the TeX Live tree used to build a package.  Consequently,
   ;; relax this requirement.