diff --git a/.local/bin/tm b/.local/bin/tm
index a2de614..02193f5 100755
--- a/.local/bin/tm
+++ b/.local/bin/tm
@@ -66,25 +66,41 @@ _create_detached_session() {
 }
 
 _load_env_session_file() {
-  xargs -L1 tmux < ./.tmux.session
+  if [ -f ./.tmux.session ]; then
+    xargs -L1 tmux < ./.tmux.session
+  fi
 }
 
 _load_session_file() {
-  xargs -L1 tmux < "$session_file"
+  if [ -f "$session_file" ]; then
+    xargs -L1 tmux < "$session_file"
+  fi
+}
+
+_set_session_file_path() {
+  # Prefer local dir if file exists there, fall back to root dir
+  if _file_exists "${1}"; then
+    session_file="${1}"
+  elif _file_exists "${session_dir}${1}"; then
+    session_file="${session_dir}${1}"
+  fi
 }
 
 _set_session_vars() {
+  session_dir=${TM_SESSION_DIR:-"$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/tmux/sessions/"}
+
+  # set up session name and config file - if passed in as arguments
   if [ "$#" -eq 2 ]; then
-    session_file=${1}
-    if ! _file_exists "$session_file"; then
-      echo "$0: can not source configuration file: '${session_file}' does not exist."
+    if ! _file_exists "$1" && ! _file_exists "${session_dir}${1}"; then
+      echo "sess dir: ${session_dir}${1}"
+      echo "$0: can not source configuration file: '${1}' does not exist."
       exit 1
     fi
+    _set_session_file_path "$1"
     session_name=${2}
   elif [ "$#" -eq 1 ]; then
-    if _file_exists "${1}"; then
-      session_file=${1}
-    else
+    _set_session_file_path "$1"
+    if ! _file_exists "$session_file"; then
       session_name=${1}
     fi
   fi
@@ -124,6 +140,7 @@ _attach_or_create() {
 
 _unset_functions() {
   unset _set_session_vars
+  unset _set_session_file_path
   unset _attach_or_create
   unset _load_session_file
   unset _create_detached_session