diff --git a/samza-shell/src/main/bash/run-class.sh b/samza-shell/src/main/bash/run-class.sh
index 2dc1ec9f97..a162ad5230 100755
--- a/samza-shell/src/main/bash/run-class.sh
+++ b/samza-shell/src/main/bash/run-class.sh
@@ -68,10 +68,21 @@ else
   JAR="$JAVA_HOME/bin/jar"
 fi
 
+# Create a separate directory for writing files related to classpath management. It is easier to manage
+# permissions for the classpath-related files when they are in their own directory. An example of where
+# this is helpful is when using container images which might have predefined permissions for certain
+# directories.
+CLASSPATH_WORKSPACE_DIR=$base_dir/classpath_workspace
+mkdir -p $CLASSPATH_WORKSPACE_DIR
+# file containing the classpath string; used to avoid passing long classpaths directly to the jar command
+PATHING_MANIFEST_FILE=$CLASSPATH_WORKSPACE_DIR/manifest.txt
+# jar file to include on the classpath for running the main class
+PATHING_JAR_FILE=$CLASSPATH_WORKSPACE_DIR/pathing.jar
+
 # Newlines and spaces are intended to ensure proper parsing of manifest in pathing jar
-printf "Class-Path: \n $CLASSPATH \n" > manifest.txt
+printf "Class-Path: \n $CLASSPATH \n" > $PATHING_MANIFEST_FILE
 # Creates a new archive and adds custom manifest information to pathing.jar
-eval "$JAR -cvmf manifest.txt pathing.jar"
+eval "$JAR -cvmf $PATHING_MANIFEST_FILE $PATHING_JAR_FILE"
 
 if [ -z "$JAVA_HOME" ]; then
   JAVA="java"
@@ -151,11 +162,11 @@ fi
 [[ $JAVA_OPTS != *-d64* ]] && check_and_enable_64_bit_mode
 
 # HADOOP_CONF_DIR should be supplied to classpath explicitly for Yarn to parse configs
-echo $JAVA $JAVA_OPTS -cp $HADOOP_CONF_DIR:pathing.jar "$@"
+echo $JAVA $JAVA_OPTS -cp $HADOOP_CONF_DIR:$PATHING_JAR_FILE "$@"
 
 ## If localized resource lib directory is defined, then include it in the classpath.
 if [[ -z "${ADDITIONAL_CLASSPATH_DIR}" ]]; then
-  exec $JAVA $JAVA_OPTS -cp $HADOOP_CONF_DIR:pathing.jar "$@"
+  exec $JAVA $JAVA_OPTS -cp $HADOOP_CONF_DIR:$PATHING_JAR_FILE "$@"
 else
-  exec $JAVA $JAVA_OPTS -cp $HADOOP_CONF_DIR:pathing.jar:$ADDITIONAL_CLASSPATH_DIR "$@"
+  exec $JAVA $JAVA_OPTS -cp $HADOOP_CONF_DIR:$PATHING_JAR_FILE:$ADDITIONAL_CLASSPATH_DIR "$@"
 fi