diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 24a476d9d..e514449cb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -168,6 +168,14 @@ public class DockerComposeRuleTest {
 
 This will automatically record logs for all containers in real time to the specified directory. Collection will stop when the containers terminate.
 
+The `LogDirectory` class contains utility methods to generate these paths.  For example, you can write logs directly into the `$CIRCLE_ARTIFACTS` directory on CI (but fall back to `build/dockerLogs` locally) using:
+
+```java
+    .saveLogsTo(circleAwareLogDirectory(MyTest.class))
+```
+
+Methods in `LogDirectory` are intended to be statically imported for readability.
+
 Skipping shutdown
 -----------------
 
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 2f77b19a9..5cf472dac 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ dependencies {
     testCompile "org.mockito:mockito-core:$mockitoVersion"
     testCompile "com.github.tomakehurst:wiremock:2.0.6-beta"
     testCompile "com.google.code.findbugs:jsr305:3.0.0"
+    testCompile "com.github.stefanbirkner:system-rules:1.16.1"
 }
 
 // Instead of copying files out of `$buildDir/test-results/` on CircleCI, we can
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/palantir/docker/compose/DockerComposeRule.java b/src/main/java/com/palantir/docker/compose/DockerComposeRule.java
index fc4865a61..34fa3a1eb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/palantir/docker/compose/DockerComposeRule.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/palantir/docker/compose/DockerComposeRule.java
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 import com.palantir.docker.compose.logging.DoNothingLogCollector;
 import com.palantir.docker.compose.logging.FileLogCollector;
 import com.palantir.docker.compose.logging.LogCollector;
+import com.palantir.docker.compose.logging.LogDirectory;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.List;
 import org.immutables.value.Value;
@@ -169,6 +170,14 @@ public Builder file(String dockerComposeYmlFile) {
             return files(DockerComposeFiles.from(dockerComposeYmlFile));
         }
 
+        /**
+         * Save the output of docker logs to files, stored in the <code>path</code> directory.
+         *
+         * See {@link LogDirectory} for some useful utilities, for example:
+         * {@link LogDirectory#circleAwareLogDirectory}.
+         *
+         * @param path directory into which log files should be saved
+         */
         public Builder saveLogsTo(String path) {
             return logCollector(FileLogCollector.fromPath(path));
         }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/palantir/docker/compose/logging/LogDirectory.java b/src/main/java/com/palantir/docker/compose/logging/LogDirectory.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7187fc101
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/palantir/docker/compose/logging/LogDirectory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016 Palantir Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
+ */
+
+package com.palantir.docker.compose.logging;
+
+import java.util.Optional;
+
+public class LogDirectory {
+
+    private LogDirectory() {}
+
+    /**
+     * For tests running on CircleCI, save logs into <code>$CIRCLE_ARTIFACTS/dockerLogs/&lt;testClassName&gt;</code>.
+     * This ensures partial logs can be recovered if the build is cancelled or times out, and
+     * also avoids needless copying.
+     *
+     * Otherwise, save logs from local runs to a folder inside <code>$project/build/dockerLogs</code> named
+     * after the test class.
+     *
+     * @param testClass the JUnit test class whose name will appear on the log folder
+     */
+    public static String circleAwareLogDirectory(Class<?> testClass) {
+        String artifactRoot = Optional.ofNullable(System.getenv("CIRCLE_ARTIFACTS")).orElse("build");
+        return artifactRoot + "/dockerLogs/" + testClass.getSimpleName();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Save logs into a new folder, $project/build/dockerLogs/&lt;testClassName&gt;.
+     */
+    public static String gradleDockerLogsDirectory(Class<?> testClass) {
+        return "build/dockerLogs/" + testClass.getSimpleName();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/palantir/docker/compose/logging/LogDirectoryTest.java b/src/test/java/com/palantir/docker/compose/logging/LogDirectoryTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..34969ce98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/com/palantir/docker/compose/logging/LogDirectoryTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016 Palantir Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
+ */
+
+package com.palantir.docker.compose.logging;
+
+import static org.hamcrest.MatcherAssert.assertThat;
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
+
+import org.junit.Rule;
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.contrib.java.lang.system.EnvironmentVariables;
+
+public class LogDirectoryTest {
+
+    @Rule
+    public final EnvironmentVariables variablesRule = new EnvironmentVariables();
+
+    @Test
+    public void gradleDockerLogsDirectory_should_use_class_simple_name() {
+        String directory = LogDirectory.gradleDockerLogsDirectory(SomeTestClass.class);
+        assertThat(directory, is("build/dockerLogs/SomeTestClass"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void circleAwareLogDirectory_should_match_gradleDockerLogsDirectory_by_default() {
+        variablesRule.set("CIRCLE_ARTIFACTS", null);
+        String directory = LogDirectory.circleAwareLogDirectory(SomeTestClass.class);
+        assertThat(directory, is("build/dockerLogs/SomeTestClass"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void circleAwareLogDirectory_should_use_circle_environment_variable_if_available() {
+        variablesRule.set("CIRCLE_ARTIFACTS", "/tmp/circle-artifacts.g4DjuuD");
+
+        String directory = LogDirectory.circleAwareLogDirectory(SomeTestClass.class);
+        assertThat(directory, is("/tmp/circle-artifacts.g4DjuuD/dockerLogs/SomeTestClass"));
+    }
+
+    private static class SomeTestClass {}
+}