diff --git a/src/tool_cb_hdr.c b/src/tool_cb_hdr.c
index 198a8d050c..30ee3b09c9 100644
--- a/src/tool_cb_hdr.c
+++ b/src/tool_cb_hdr.c
@@ -178,10 +178,18 @@ size_t tool_header_cb(char *ptr, size_t size, size_t nmemb, void *userdata)
           return CURL_WRITEFUNC_ERROR;
         }
 
+        if(per->config->output_dir) {
+          outs->filename = aprintf("%s/%s", per->config->output_dir, filename);
+          free(filename);
+          if(!outs->filename)
+            return CURL_WRITEFUNC_ERROR;
+        }
+        else
+          outs->filename = filename;
+
         outs->is_cd_filename = TRUE;
         outs->s_isreg = TRUE;
         outs->fopened = FALSE;
-        outs->filename = filename;
         outs->alloc_filename = TRUE;
         hdrcbdata->honor_cd_filename = FALSE; /* done now! */
         if(!tool_create_output_file(outs, per->config))
diff --git a/src/tool_cb_wrt.c b/src/tool_cb_wrt.c
index 98063c39c2..143cba255b 100644
--- a/src/tool_cb_wrt.c
+++ b/src/tool_cb_wrt.c
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ bool tool_create_output_file(struct OutStruct *outs,
   struct GlobalConfig *global;
   FILE *file = NULL;
   char *fname = outs->filename;
-  char *aname = NULL;
   DEBUGASSERT(outs);
   DEBUGASSERT(config);
   global = config->global;
@@ -66,15 +65,6 @@ bool tool_create_output_file(struct OutStruct *outs,
     return FALSE;
   }
 
-  if(config->output_dir && outs->is_cd_filename) {
-    aname = aprintf("%s/%s", config->output_dir, fname);
-    if(!aname) {
-      errorf(global, "out of memory");
-      return FALSE;
-    }
-    fname = aname;
-  }
-
   if(config->file_clobber_mode == CLOBBER_ALWAYS ||
      (config->file_clobber_mode == CLOBBER_DEFAULT &&
       !outs->is_cd_filename)) {
@@ -94,14 +84,12 @@ bool tool_create_output_file(struct OutStruct *outs,
       char *newname;
       /* Guard against wraparound in new filename */
       if(newlen < len) {
-        free(aname);
         errorf(global, "overflow in filename generation");
         return FALSE;
       }
       newname = malloc(newlen);
       if(!newname) {
         errorf(global, "out of memory");
-        free(aname);
         return FALSE;
       }
       memcpy(newname, fname, len);
@@ -135,10 +123,8 @@ bool tool_create_output_file(struct OutStruct *outs,
   if(!file) {
     warnf(global, "Failed to open the file %s: %s", fname,
           strerror(errno));
-    free(aname);
     return FALSE;
   }
-  free(aname);
   outs->s_isreg = TRUE;
   outs->fopened = TRUE;
   outs->stream = file;
diff --git a/tests/data/test3012 b/tests/data/test3012
index 2bd329455c..a9c9505874 100644
--- a/tests/data/test3012
+++ b/tests/data/test3012
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 -O
 -J
 --output-dir
+--remote-time
 </keywords>
 </info>
 #
@@ -36,10 +37,10 @@ http
 http
 </features>
 <name>
---output-dir with -J
+--output-dir with -J and -R
 </name>
 <command option="no-output,no-include">
-http://%HOSTIP:%HTTPPORT/this/is/the/%TESTNUMBER -OJ --output-dir %PWD/%LOGDIR
+http://%HOSTIP:%HTTPPORT/this/is/the/%TESTNUMBER -OJR --output-dir %PWD/%LOGDIR
 </command>
 </client>