diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e1b1ef1..3c43390 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ Please find the list of all configuration options, including descriptions, below
 | `REMEMBER_USERS_FOR_HOURS` | `--remember-users-for-hours` | No | How long between back-filling attempts for non-followed accounts? Defaults to `168`, i.e. one week.
 | `HTTP_TIMEOUT` | `--http-timeout` | No | The timeout for any HTTP requests to the Mastodon API in seconds. Defaults to `5`.
 | -- | `--lock-hours` | No | Determines after how many hours a lock file should be discarded. Not relevant when running the script as GitHub Action, as concurrency is prevented using a different mechanism. Recommended value: `24`.
+| -- | `--lock-file` | No | Location for the lock file. If not specified, will use `lock.lock` under the state directory. Not relevant when running the script as GitHub Action.
+| -- | `--state-dir` | No | Directory storing persistent files, and the default location for lock file. Not relevant when running the script as GitHub Action.
 | `ON_START` | `--on-start` | No | Optionally provide a callback URL that will be pinged when processing is starting. A query parameter `rid={uuid}` will automatically be appended to uniquely identify each execution. This can be used to monitor your script using a service such as healthchecks.io.
 | `ON_DONE` | `--on-done` | No | Optionally provide a callback URL that will be called when processing is finished.  A query parameter `rid={uuid}` will automatically be appended to uniquely identify each execution. This can be used to monitor your script using a service such as healthchecks.io.
 | `ON_FAIL` | `--on-fail` | No | Optionally provide a callback URL that will be called when processing has failed.  A query parameter `rid={uuid}` will automatically be appended to uniquely identify each execution. This can be used to monitor your script using a service such as healthchecks.io.
diff --git a/find_posts.py b/find_posts.py
index 4c9d37f..e5586ed 100644
--- a/find_posts.py
+++ b/find_posts.py
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ argparser.add_argument('--http-timeout', required = False, type=int, default=5,
 argparser.add_argument('--backfill-with-context', required = False, type=bool, default=True, help="If enabled, we'll fetch remote replies when backfilling profiles.")
 argparser.add_argument('--backfill-mentioned-users', required = False, type=bool, default=True, help="If enabled, we'll backfill any mentioned users when fetching remote replies to timeline posts.")
 argparser.add_argument('--lock-hours', required = False, type=int, default=24, help="The lock timeout in hours.")
+argparser.add_argument('--lock-file', required = False, default=None, help="Location of the lock file")
+argparser.add_argument('--state-dir', required = False, default="artifacts", help="Directory to store persistent files and possibly lock file")
 argparser.add_argument('--on-done', required = False, default=None, help="Provide a url that will be pinged when processing has completed. You can use this for 'dead man switch' monitoring of your task")
 argparser.add_argument('--on-start', required = False, default=None, help="Provide a url that will be pinged when processing is starting. You can use this for 'dead man switch' monitoring of your task")
 argparser.add_argument('--on-fail', required = False, default=None, help="Provide a url that will be pinged when processing has failed. You can use this for 'dead man switch' monitoring of your task")
@@ -750,7 +752,9 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         except Exception as ex:
             log(f"Error getting callback url: {ex}")
 
-    LOCK_FILE = 'artifacts/lock.lock'
+    if arguments.lock_file is None:
+        arguments.lock_file = os.path.join(arguments.state, 'lock.lock')
+    LOCK_FILE = arguments.lock_file
 
     if( os.path.exists(LOCK_FILE)):
         log(f"Lock file exists at {LOCK_FILE}")
@@ -785,10 +789,10 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
 
     try:
 
-        SEEN_URLS_FILE = "artifacts/seen_urls"
-        REPLIED_TOOT_SERVER_IDS_FILE = "artifacts/replied_toot_server_ids"
-        KNOWN_FOLLOWINGS_FILE = "artifacts/known_followings"
-        RECENTLY_CHECKED_USERS_FILE = "artifacts/recently_checked_users"
+        SEEN_URLS_FILE = os.path.join(arguments.state, "seen_urls")
+        REPLIED_TOOT_SERVER_IDS_FILE = os.path.join(arguments.state, "replied_toot_server_ids")
+        KNOWN_FOLLOWINGS_FILE = os.path.join(arguments.state, "known_followings")
+        RECENTLY_CHECKED_USERS_FILE = os.path.join(arguments.state, "recently_checked_users")
 
 
         seen_urls = OrderedSet([])