diff --git a/src/main/java/gov/loc/repository/bagit/writer/BagWriter.java b/src/main/java/gov/loc/repository/bagit/writer/BagWriter.java
index e98c773e8..6336d59f5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/gov/loc/repository/bagit/writer/BagWriter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/gov/loc/repository/bagit/writer/BagWriter.java
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ public static void writePayloadFiles(Set<Manifest> payloadManifests, Path output
       for(Path payloadFile : payloadManifest.getFileToChecksumMap().keySet()){
         Path relativePayloadPath = bagRootDir.relativize(payloadFile); 
             
-        Path writeToPath = bagRootDir.resolve(relativePayloadPath);
+        Path writeToPath = outputDir.resolve(relativePayloadPath);
         logger.debug("Writing payload file [{}] to [{}]", payloadFile, writeToPath);
         Path parent = writeToPath.getParent();
         if(parent != null){