diff --git a/lib/filesystem.js b/lib/filesystem.js
index 92425c4c..14c345b7 100644
--- a/lib/filesystem.js
+++ b/lib/filesystem.js
@@ -30,14 +30,31 @@ function getPathParts(filepath) {
 
 /**
  * Create a new file system.
+ * @param {Object} options Any filesystem options.
+ * @param {boolean} options.createCwd Create a directory for `process.cwd()`
+ *     (defaults to `true`).
+ * @param {boolean} options.createTmp Create a directory for `os.tmpdir()`
+ *     (defaults to `true`).
  * @constructor
  */
-function FileSystem() {
+function FileSystem(options) {
+  options = options || {};
+
+  var createCwd = 'createCwd' in options ? options.createCwd : true;
+  var createTmp = 'createTmp' in options ? options.createTmp : true;
 
   var root = new Directory();
 
   // populate with default directories
-  var defaults = [os.tmpdir && os.tmpdir() || os.tmpDir(), process.cwd()];
+  var defaults = [];
+  if (createCwd) {
+    defaults.push(process.cwd());
+  }
+
+  if (createTmp) {
+    defaults.push(os.tmpdir && os.tmpdir() || os.tmpDir());
+  }
+
   defaults.forEach(function(dir) {
     var parts = getPathParts(dir);
     var directory = root;
@@ -141,10 +158,15 @@ function populate(directory, name, obj) {
 /**
  * Configure a mock file system.
  * @param {Object} paths Config object.
+ * @param {Object} options Any filesystem options.
+ * @param {boolean} options.createCwd Create a directory for `process.cwd()`
+ *     (defaults to `true`).
+ * @param {boolean} options.createTmp Create a directory for `os.tmpdir()`
+ *     (defaults to `true`).
  * @return {FileSystem} Mock file system.
  */
-FileSystem.create = function(paths) {
-  var system = new FileSystem();
+FileSystem.create = function(paths, options) {
+  var system = new FileSystem(options);
 
   for (var filepath in paths) {
     var parts = getPathParts(filepath);
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 32caa676..98226735 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -71,9 +71,14 @@ function setProcess(cwd, chdir) {
 /**
  * Swap out the fs bindings for a mock file system.
  * @param {Object} config Mock file system configuration.
+ * @param {Object} options Any filesystem options.
+ * @param {boolean} options.createCwd Create a directory for `process.cwd()`
+ *     (defaults to `true`).
+ * @param {boolean} options.createTmp Create a directory for `os.tmpdir()`
+ *     (defaults to `true`).
  */
-var exports = module.exports = function mock(config) {
-  var system = FileSystem.create(config);
+var exports = module.exports = function mock(config, options) {
+  var system = FileSystem.create(config, options);
   var binding = new Binding(system);
   setBinding(binding, binding.Stats);
 
@@ -104,10 +109,15 @@ exports.restore = function() {
 /**
  * Create a mock fs module based on the given file system configuration.
  * @param {Object} config File system configuration.
+ * @param {Object} options Any filesystem options.
+ * @param {boolean} options.createCwd Create a directory for `process.cwd()`
+ *     (defaults to `true`).
+ * @param {boolean} options.createTmp Create a directory for `os.tmpdir()`
+ *     (defaults to `true`).
  * @return {Object} A fs module with a mock file system.
  */
-exports.fs = function(config) {
-  var system = FileSystem.create(config);
+exports.fs = function(config, options) {
+  var system = FileSystem.create(config, options);
   var binding = new Binding(system);
 
   // inject the mock binding
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index d16cb5ff..20593243 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -28,16 +28,23 @@ mock.restore();
 
 ## Docs
 
-### <a id='mockconfig'>`mock(config)`</a>
+### <a id='mockconfigoptions'>`mock(config, options)`</a>
 
 Configure the `fs` module so it is backed by an in-memory file system.
 
-Calling `mock` sets up a mock file system with at least two directories: `process.cwd()` and `os.tmpdir()` (or `os.tmpDir()` for older Node).  When called with no arguments, just these two directories are created.  When called with a `config` object, additional files, directories, and symlinks are created.
+Calling `mock` sets up a mock file system with two directories by default: `process.cwd()` and `os.tmpdir()` (or `os.tmpDir()` for older Node).  When called with no arguments, just these two directories are created.  When called with a `config` object, additional files, directories, and symlinks are created.  To avoid creating a directory for `process.cwd()` and `os.tmpdir()`, see the [`options`](#options) below.
 
 Property names of the `config` object are interpreted as relative paths to resources (relative from `process.cwd()`).  Property values of the `config` object are interpreted as content or configuration for the generated resources.
 
 *Note that paths should always use forward slashes (`/`) - even on Windows.*
 
+### <a id='options'>`options`</a>
+
+The second (optional) argument may include the properties below.
+
+ * `createCwd` - `boolean` Create a directory for `process.cwd()`.  This is `true` by default.
+ * `createTmp` - `boolean` Create a directory for `os.tmpdir()`.  This is `true` by default.
+
 ### Creating files
 
 When `config` property values are a `string` or `Buffer`, a file is created with the provided content.  For example, the following configuration creates a single file with string content (in addition to the two default directories).
@@ -169,9 +176,9 @@ afterEach(mock.restore);
 
 ### Creating a new `fs` module instead of modifying the original
 
-### <a id='mockfsconfig'>`mock.fs(config)`</a>
+### <a id='mockfsconfigoptions'>`mock.fs(config, options)`</a>
 
-Calling `mock()` modifies Node's built-in `fs` module.  This is useful when you want to test with a mock file system.  If for some reason you want to work with the real file system and an in-memory version at the same time, you can call the `mock.fs()` function.  This takes the same `config` object [described above](#mockconfig) and sets up a in-memory file system.  Instead of modifying the binding for the built-in `fs` module (as is done when calling `mock(config)`), the `mock.fs(config)` function returns an object with the same interface as the `fs` module, but backed by your mock file system.
+Calling `mock()` modifies Node's built-in `fs` module.  This is useful when you want to test with a mock file system.  If for some reason you want to work with the real file system and an in-memory version at the same time, you can call the `mock.fs()` function.  This takes the same `config` and `options` objects [described above](#mockconfigoptions) and sets up a in-memory file system.  Instead of modifying the binding for the built-in `fs` module (as is done when calling `mock(config)`), the `mock.fs(config)` function returns an object with the same interface as the `fs` module, but backed by your mock file system.
 
 ## Install
 
diff --git a/test/lib/filesystem.spec.js b/test/lib/filesystem.spec.js
index 7bdd7855..6d028497 100644
--- a/test/lib/filesystem.spec.js
+++ b/test/lib/filesystem.spec.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /* eslint-env mocha */
 'use strict';
 
+var os = require('os');
 var path = require('path');
 
 var Directory = require('../../lib/directory');
@@ -18,6 +19,24 @@ describe('FileSystem', function() {
       assert.instanceOf(system, FileSystem);
     });
 
+    it('accepts a createCwd option', function() {
+      var cwd = process.cwd();
+      var withCwd = new FileSystem({createCwd: true});
+      var withoutCwd = new FileSystem({createCwd: false});
+
+      assert.instanceOf(withCwd.getItem(cwd), Directory);
+      assert.isNull(withoutCwd.getItem(cwd));
+    });
+
+    it('accepts a createTmp option', function() {
+      var tmp = os.tmpdir ? os.tmpdir() : os.tmpDir();
+      var withTmp = new FileSystem({createTmp: true});
+      var withoutTmp = new FileSystem({createTmp: false});
+
+      assert.instanceOf(withTmp.getItem(tmp), Directory);
+      assert.isNull(withoutTmp.getItem(tmp));
+    });
+
   });
 
   describe('#getItem()', function() {
@@ -160,6 +179,22 @@ describe('FileSystem.create', function() {
 
   });
 
+  it('passes options to the FileSystem constructor', function() {
+
+    var cwd = process.cwd();
+    var tmp = os.tmpdir ? os.tmpdir() : os.tmpDir();
+
+    var withoutCwd = FileSystem.create({}, {createCwd: false});
+    var withoutTmp = FileSystem.create({}, {createTmp: false});
+
+    assert.isNull(withoutCwd.getItem(cwd));
+    assert.instanceOf(withoutCwd.getItem(tmp), Directory);
+
+    assert.isNull(withoutTmp.getItem(tmp));
+    assert.instanceOf(withoutTmp.getItem(cwd), Directory);
+
+  });
+
   it('accepts file factory', function() {
 
     var system = FileSystem.create({
diff --git a/test/lib/index.spec.js b/test/lib/index.spec.js
index ef010573..f196e5db 100644
--- a/test/lib/index.spec.js
+++ b/test/lib/index.spec.js
@@ -22,10 +22,6 @@ describe('The API', function() {
       mock.restore();
     });
 
-  });
-
-  describe('mock()', function() {
-
     it('creates process.cwd() and os.tmpdir() by default', function() {
       mock();
 
@@ -43,6 +39,30 @@ describe('The API', function() {
       mock.restore();
     });
 
+    it('passes the createCwd option to the FileSystem constructor', function() {
+      mock({}, {createCwd: false});
+
+      assert.isFalse(fs.existsSync(process.cwd()));
+
+      mock.restore();
+    });
+
+    it('passes the createTmp option to the FileSystem constructor', function() {
+      mock({}, {createTmp: false});
+
+      var tmp;
+      if (os.tmpdir) {
+        tmp = os.tmpdir();
+      } else if (os.tmpDir) {
+        tmp = os.tmpDir();
+      }
+      if (tmp) {
+        assert.isFalse(fs.existsSync(tmp));
+      }
+
+      mock.restore();
+    });
+
   });
 
   describe('mock.restore()', function() {
@@ -179,6 +199,20 @@ describe('The API', function() {
 
     });
 
+    it('passes options to the FileSystem constructor', function() {
+
+      var mockFs = mock.fs({
+        '/path/to/file.txt': 'file content'
+      }, {
+        createCwd: false,
+        createTmp: false
+      });
+
+      assert.isTrue(mockFs.existsSync('/path/to/file.txt'));
+      assert.deepEqual(mockFs.readdirSync('/'), ['path']);
+
+    });
+
     it('accepts an arbitrary nesting of files and directories', function() {
 
       var mockFs = mock.fs({