diff --git a/eval_protocol/pytest/handle_persist_flow.py b/eval_protocol/pytest/handle_persist_flow.py
index ff386873..e2f2a93d 100644
--- a/eval_protocol/pytest/handle_persist_flow.py
+++ b/eval_protocol/pytest/handle_persist_flow.py
@@ -16,9 +16,10 @@
 def handle_persist_flow(all_results: list[list[EvaluationRow]], test_func_name: str):
     try:
         # Default is to save and upload experiment JSONL files, unless explicitly disabled
-        should_save_and_upload = os.getenv("EP_NO_UPLOAD") != "1"
+        custom_output_dir = os.getenv("EP_OUTPUT_DIR")
+        should_save = os.getenv("EP_NO_UPLOAD") != "1" or custom_output_dir is not None
 
-        if should_save_and_upload:
+        if should_save:
             current_run_rows = [item for sublist in all_results for item in sublist]
             if current_run_rows:
                 experiments: dict[str, list[EvaluationRow]] = defaultdict(list)
@@ -27,6 +28,8 @@ def handle_persist_flow(all_results: list[list[EvaluationRow]], test_func_name:
                         experiments[row.execution_metadata.experiment_id].append(row)
 
                 eval_protocol_dir = find_eval_protocol_dir()
+                if custom_output_dir:
+                    eval_protocol_dir = custom_output_dir
                 exp_dir = pathlib.Path(eval_protocol_dir) / "experiment_results"
                 exp_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
@@ -81,6 +84,10 @@ def handle_persist_flow(all_results: list[list[EvaluationRow]], test_func_name:
                             json.dump(row_data, f, ensure_ascii=False)
                             f.write("\n")
 
+                    should_upload = os.getenv("EP_NO_UPLOAD") != "1"
+                    if not should_upload:
+                        continue
+
                     def get_auth_value(key: str) -> str | None:
                         """Get auth value from config file or environment."""
                         try:
diff --git a/eval_protocol/pytest/plugin.py b/eval_protocol/pytest/plugin.py
index 030c367e..d0c4af4d 100644
--- a/eval_protocol/pytest/plugin.py
+++ b/eval_protocol/pytest/plugin.py
@@ -133,6 +133,11 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser) -> None:
         default=None,
         help=("If set, use this base URL for remote rollout processing. Example: http://localhost:8000"),
     )
+    group.addoption(
+        "--ep-output-dir",
+        default=None,
+        help=("If set, save evaluation results to this directory in jsonl format."),
+    )
 
 
 def _normalize_max_rows(val: Optional[str]) -> Optional[str]:
@@ -258,6 +263,10 @@ def pytest_configure(config) -> None:
     if threshold_env is not None:
         os.environ["EP_PASSED_THRESHOLD"] = threshold_env
 
+    if config.getoption("--ep-output-dir"):
+        # set this to save eval results to the target dir in jsonl format
+        os.environ["EP_OUTPUT_DIR"] = config.getoption("--ep-output-dir")
+
     if config.getoption("--ep-no-upload"):
         os.environ["EP_NO_UPLOAD"] = "1"