diff --git a/matcher/helpers.go b/matcher/helpers.go
index bc1bffd..2d518e8 100644
--- a/matcher/helpers.go
+++ b/matcher/helpers.go
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ import (
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega" //nolint:revive
 )
 
+// LogDir is where gathered logs are written. Relative paths resolve against the
+// process working directory. The default preserves the historical behavior.
+var LogDir = "logs"
+
 type VM struct {
 	machine    types.Machine
 	cancelFunc context.CancelFunc // We call it when we `Destroy` the VM
@@ -167,12 +171,13 @@ func machineGatherLog(m types.Machine, logPath string) {
 	}
 
 	baseName := filepath.Base(logPath)
-	_ = os.Mkdir("logs", 0755)
+	f, destination, err := createGatheredLogFile(LogDir, logPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Couldn't create local log file for %s: %s\n", logPath, err)
+		return
+	}
 
-	f, _ := os.Create(fmt.Sprintf("logs/%s", baseName))
-	// Close the file after it has been copied
-	// Close client connection after the file has been copied
-	defer scpClient.Close()
+	// Close the file after it has been copied.
 	defer f.Close()
 
 	ctx, can := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Minute)
@@ -183,10 +188,27 @@ func machineGatherLog(m types.Machine, logPath string) {
 		return
 	}
 	// Change perms so its world readable
-	_ = os.Chmod(fmt.Sprintf("logs/%s", baseName), 0666)
+	if err := os.Chmod(destination, 0o666); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Couldn't change permissions on %s: %s\n", destination, err)
+		return
+	}
 	fmt.Printf("File %s copied!\n", baseName)
 }
 
+func createGatheredLogFile(logDir, logPath string) (*os.File, string, error) {
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(logDir, 0o755); err != nil {
+		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("creating log directory %q: %w", logDir, err)
+	}
+
+	destination := filepath.Join(logDir, filepath.Base(logPath))
+	f, err := os.Create(destination)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("creating gathered log %q: %w", destination, err)
+	}
+
+	return f, destination, nil
+}
+
 func machineHasFile(m types.Machine, s string) {
 	out, err := m.Command("if [ -f " + s + " ]; then echo ok; else echo wrong; fi")
 	Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
diff --git a/matcher/helpers_test.go b/matcher/helpers_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf276e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/matcher/helpers_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+package matcher
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestLogDirDefault(t *testing.T) {
+	if LogDir != "logs" {
+		t.Fatalf("LogDir default = %q, want %q", LogDir, "logs")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCreateGatheredLogFileDefaultDir(t *testing.T) {
+	oldWorkingDir, err := os.Getwd()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.Chdir(t.TempDir()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = os.Chdir(oldWorkingDir) })
+
+	f, destination, err := createGatheredLogFile(LogDir, "/var/log/messages")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := f.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	want := filepath.Join("logs", "messages")
+	if destination != want {
+		t.Fatalf("destination = %q, want %q", destination, want)
+	}
+	if _, err := os.Stat(want); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("stat gathered log: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCreateGatheredLogFileAbsoluteNestedDir(t *testing.T) {
+	logDir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "run", "gathered-logs")
+	f, destination, err := createGatheredLogFile(logDir, "/var/log/kern.log")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := f.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	want := filepath.Join(logDir, "kern.log")
+	if destination != want {
+		t.Fatalf("destination = %q, want %q", destination, want)
+	}
+	if _, err := os.Stat(want); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("stat gathered log: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCreateGatheredLogFilePreservesBaseName(t *testing.T) {
+	logDir := t.TempDir()
+	f, destination, err := createGatheredLogFile(logDir, "/nested/remote/audit.json")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := f.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if got, want := filepath.Base(destination), "audit.json"; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("destination base = %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCreateGatheredLogFileInvalidDir(t *testing.T) {
+	parent := t.TempDir()
+	notDirectory := filepath.Join(parent, "not-a-directory")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(notDirectory, []byte("file"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	f, destination, err := createGatheredLogFile(filepath.Join(notDirectory, "logs"), "/var/log/messages")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected an error")
+	}
+	if f != nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected no file on error")
+	}
+	if destination != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("destination = %q, want empty", destination)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCreateGatheredLogFileInvalidDestination(t *testing.T) {
+	f, destination, err := createGatheredLogFile(t.TempDir(), ".")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected an error")
+	}
+	if f != nil || destination != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("result = %#v, %q; want nil, empty", f, destination)
+	}
+}