diff --git a/sugar/activity/activity.py b/sugar/activity/activity.py
index 2c887b94..262d89b3 100644
--- a/sugar/activity/activity.py
+++ b/sugar/activity/activity.py
@@ -305,6 +305,18 @@ class Activity(Window, gtk.Container):
     def _internal_jobject_error_cb(self, err):
         logging.debug("Error creating activity datastore object: %s" % err)
 
+    def get_activity_root(self):
+        """
+        Return the appropriate location in the fs where to store activity related
+        data that doesn't pertain to the current execution of the activity and
+        thus cannot go into the DataStore.
+        """
+        if os.environ.has_key('SUGAR_ACTIVITY_ROOT') and \
+           os.environ['SUGAR_ACTIVITY_ROOT']:
+            return os.environ['SUGAR_ACTIVITY_ROOT']
+        else:
+            return '/'
+
     def read_file(self, file_path):
         """
         Subclasses implement this method if they support resuming objects from
diff --git a/sugar/activity/activityfactoryservice.py b/sugar/activity/activityfactoryservice.py
index 8b1397f1..63265a13 100644
--- a/sugar/activity/activityfactoryservice.py
+++ b/sugar/activity/activityfactoryservice.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ from sugar.activity.bundle import Bundle
 from sugar.activity import activityhandle
 from sugar import logger
 from sugar import _sugarext
+from sugar import env
 
 # Work around for dbus mutex locking issue
 gobject.threads_init()
@@ -156,6 +157,7 @@ def run(bundle_path):
     gtk.icon_theme_get_default().append_search_path(bundle.get_icons_path())
 
     os.environ['SUGAR_BUNDLE_PATH'] = bundle_path
+    os.environ['SUGAR_ACTIVITY_ROOT'] = env.get_profile_path(bundle.get_service_name())
 
     _sugarext.set_prgname(bundle.get_service_name())
     _sugarext.set_application_name(bundle.get_name())