diff --git a/rewrite-python/src/main/java/org/openrewrite/python/rpc/PythonRewriteRpc.java b/rewrite-python/src/main/java/org/openrewrite/python/rpc/PythonRewriteRpc.java
index 7899b363d09..89076e688bc 100644
--- a/rewrite-python/src/main/java/org/openrewrite/python/rpc/PythonRewriteRpc.java
+++ b/rewrite-python/src/main/java/org/openrewrite/python/rpc/PythonRewriteRpc.java
@@ -368,7 +368,8 @@ public static class Builder implements Supplier<PythonRewriteRpc> {
         // Default to looking for a venv python, falling back to system python
         private Path pythonPath = findDefaultPythonPath();
         private @Nullable Path log;
-        private @Nullable Path pipPackagesPath;
+        private @Nullable Path pipPackagesPath = Paths.get(
+                System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir"), "openrewrite-python-packages");
         private @Nullable Path recipeInstallDir;
 
         private static Path findDefaultPythonPath() {