diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Build/Jenkins/buildscript b/Code/Mantid/Build/Jenkins/buildscript
index 6a4ffd903096db8cfd3408fdd8b130d62add4692..fe0dd370e919287d32d57d07cea5601f96e3a186 100755
--- a/Code/Mantid/Build/Jenkins/buildscript
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Build/Jenkins/buildscript
@@ -58,11 +58,11 @@ fi
 ###############################################################################
 # Set up the location for the local object store outside of the build and
 # source tree, which can be shared by multiple builds.
-# It defaults to the parent directory of the workspace but can be overridden
-# by setting the MANTID_DATA_STORE environment variable.
+# It defaults to a MantidExternalData directory within the HOME directory.
+# It can be overridden by setting the MANTID_DATA_STORE environment variable.
 ###############################################################################
 if [ -z "$MANTID_DATA_STORE" ]; then
-  export MANTID_DATA_STORE=$(dirname $WORKSPACE)
+  export MANTID_DATA_STORE=$HOME/MantidExternalData
 fi
 
 ###############################################################################
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Build/Jenkins/buildscript.bat b/Code/Mantid/Build/Jenkins/buildscript.bat
index b260bb1286547ef3b173c5645b8c5eb691d1c1ee..766b7efbb12656d58c93a007407f05b3f5ad5c57 100755
--- a/Code/Mantid/Build/Jenkins/buildscript.bat
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Build/Jenkins/buildscript.bat
@@ -22,11 +22,12 @@ set PATH=%WORKSPACE%\Code\Third_Party\lib\win64;%WORKSPACE%\Code\Third_Party\lib
 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 :: Set up the location for local object store outside of the build and source
 :: tree, which can be shared by multiple builds.
-:: It defaults to the parent directory of the workspace but can be overridden
-:: by setting the MANTID_DATA_STORE environment variable.
+:: It defaults to a MantidExternalData directory within the USERPROFILE
+:: directory. It can be overridden by setting the MANTID_DATA_STORE environment
+:: variable.
 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 if NOT DEFINED MANTID_DATA_STORE (
-  for %%F in ("%WORKSPACE%") do set MANTID_DATA_STORE=%%~dpF
+  set MANTID_DATA_STORE=%USERPROFILE%\MantidExternalData
 )
 
 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::