diff --git a/customize.sh b/customize.sh
index 8883d95..0ba2fbb 100644
--- a/customize.sh
+++ b/customize.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,15 @@ mag="\e[95m"
 err="\e[1;31m"
 ok="\e[1;32m"
 
+# allow base copy-path path for debugging, otherwise default to root as base
+if [ -n "${1}" ]; then
+    path="${1%/}"
+    echo -e "\n${err}BASE PATH:${norm} ${path}"
+    echo -e "${err}All files will be copied to subdirectories beneath this 'base path' instead"
+    echo -e "of the correct locations. This should only be done for testing!${norm}\n"
+else
+    unset path
+fi
 
 ### verify this script is running as root, otherwise exit with notification
 if [ $(id -u) -ne 0 ]; then
@@ -36,56 +45,56 @@ echo "(please note any errors below)"
 
 
 ## copy clean .bashrc for root user
-echo -e "copying ${yellow}.bashrc${norm} to ${yellow}/root${norm}"
+echo -e "copying ${yellow}.bashrc${norm} to ${yellow}${path}/root${norm}"
 # backup
-cp -f /root/.bashrc /root/.bashrc.original
+cp -f /root/.bashrc ${path}/root/.bashrc.original
 # copy new
-cp -f config/root/.bashrc /root/.bashrc
+cp -f config/root/.bashrc ${path}/root/.bashrc
 
 ## copy profile template file
-echo -e "copying ${yellow}profile${norm} to ${yellow}/etc/profile${norm}"
+echo -e "copying ${yellow}profile${norm} to ${yellow}${path}/etc/profile${norm}"
 # backup
-cp -f /etc/profile /etc/profile.original
+cp -f /etc/profile ${path}/etc/profile.original
 # copy new
-cp -f config/etc/profile /etc/profile
+cp -f config/etc/profile ${path}/etc/profile
 
 ## copy updated bash.bashrc
-echo -e "copying ${yellow}bash.bashrc${norm} to ${yellow}/etc/bash.bashrc${norm}"
+echo -e "copying ${yellow}bash.bashrc${norm} to ${yellow}${path}/etc/bash.bashrc${norm}"
 # backup
-cp -f /etc/bash.bashrc /etc/bash.bashrc.original
+cp -f /etc/bash.bashrc ${path}/etc/bash.bashrc.original
 # copy new
-cp -f config/etc/bash.bashrc /etc/bash.bashrc
+cp -f config/etc/bash.bashrc ${path}/etc/bash.bashrc
 
 ## copy updated skel .bashrc
-echo -e "copying ${yellow}.bashrc${norm} to ${yellow}/etc/skel/.bashrc${norm}"
+echo -e "copying ${yellow}.bashrc${norm} to ${yellow}${path}/etc/skel/.bashrc${norm}"
 # backup
-cp -f /etc/skel/.bashrc /etc/skel/.bashrc.original
+cp -f /etc/skel/.bashrc ${path}/etc/skel/.bashrc.original
 # copy new
-cp -f config/etc/skel/.bashrc /etc/skel/.bashrc
+cp -f config/etc/skel/.bashrc ${path}/etc/skel/.bashrc
 
 
 ## copy nano settings
-echo -e "\ncopying ${yellow}nanorc${norm} to ${yellow}/etc/nanorc${norm}"
+echo -e "\ncopying ${yellow}nanorc${norm} to ${yellow}${path}/etc/nanorc${norm}"
 # backup
-cp -f /etc/nanorc /etc/nanorc.original
+cp -f /etc/nanorc ${path}/etc/nanorc.original
 # copy new
-cp -f config/etc/nanorc /etc/nanorc
+cp -f config/etc/nanorc ${path}/etc/nanorc
 
 
 ## copy timesync
-echo -e "\ncopying ${yellow}timesyncd.conf${norm} to ${yellow}/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf${norm}"
+echo -e "\ncopying ${yellow}timesyncd.conf${norm} to ${yellow}${path}/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf${norm}"
 # backup
-cp -f /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf.original
+cp -f /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf ${path}/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf.original
 # copy new
-cp -f config/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf
+cp -f config/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf ${path}/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf
 
 
 ## copy sshd configuration
-echo -e "\ncopying ${yellow}sshd_config${norm} to ${yellow}/etc/ssh/sshd_config${norm}"
+echo -e "\ncopying ${yellow}sshd_config${norm} to ${yellow}${path}/etc/ssh/sshd_config${norm}"
 # backup
-cp -f /etc/ssh/sshd_config /etc/ssh/sshd_config.original
+cp -f /etc/ssh/sshd_config ${path}/etc/ssh/sshd_config.original
 # copy new
-cp -f config/etc/ssh/sshd_config /etc/ssh/sshd_config
+cp -f config/etc/ssh/sshd_config ${path}/etc/ssh/sshd_config
 
 
 ### Exit gracefully