diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ee2a2bd..5c501f9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ Product installation failed.
 
 Use a compatible Mac or select a different build compatible with your current hardware and try again. You may also have success running the script in a VM; the InstallationCheck script in versions of the macOS installer to date skips the checks (and returns success) when run on a VM. 
 
+##### important note for Catalina+
 Catalina privacy protections might interfere with the operation of this tool if you run it from ~/Desktop, ~/Documents, ~/Downloads or other directories protected in Catalina. Consider using /Users/Shared (or subdirectory) as the "working space" for this tool.
 
 Graham Pugh has a fork with a lot more features and bells and whistles. Check it out if your needs aren't met by this tool. https://github.com/grahampugh/macadmin-scripts
diff --git a/installinstallmacos.py b/installinstallmacos.py
index 4dfd01c..b387a52 100755
--- a/installinstallmacos.py
+++ b/installinstallmacos.py
@@ -802,6 +802,16 @@ def main():
             "run again with sudo or as root."
         )
 
+    current_dir = os.getcwd()
+    if os.path.expanduser("~") in current_dir:
+        bad_dirs = ['Documents', 'Desktop', 'Downloads', 'Library']
+        for bad_dir in bad_dirs:
+            if bad_dir in os.path.split(this_dir):
+                print('Running this script from %s may not work as expected. '
+                      'If this does not run as expected, please run again from '
+                      'somewhere else, such as /Users/Shared.'
+                      % current_dir, file=sys.stderr)
+
     if args.catalogurl:
         su_catalog_url = args.catalogurl
     elif args.seedprogram: