diff --git a/pymake/cmds/createjson.py b/pymake/cmds/createjson.py
index 4e76376..248486f 100755
--- a/pymake/cmds/createjson.py
+++ b/pymake/cmds/createjson.py
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@ def main() -> None:
             "choices": None,
             "action": None,
         },
+        "appdir": {
+            "tag": ("-ad", "--appdir"),
+            "help": "code.json path that overides FPTH defined path, "
+            + "Default is None.",
+            "default": None,
+            "choices": None,
+            "action": None,
+        },
         "prog_data": {
             "tag": ("--prog_data",),
             "help": "User-specified program database. If prog_data is None, "
diff --git a/pymake/utils/usgsprograms.py b/pymake/utils/usgsprograms.py
index f8d3e29..3bce981 100644
--- a/pymake/utils/usgsprograms.py
+++ b/pymake/utils/usgsprograms.py
@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@ def list_targets(current=False):
     @staticmethod
     def export_json(
         fpth="code.json",
+        appdir=None,
         prog_data=None,
         current=False,
         update=True,
@@ -312,6 +313,9 @@ def export_json(
         ----------
         fpth : str
             Path for the json file to be created. Default is "code.json"
+        appdir : str
+            path for code.json. Overides code.json path defined in fpth.
+            Default is None.
         prog_data : dict
             User-specified program database. If prog_data is None, it will
             be created from the USGS program database
@@ -357,15 +361,20 @@ def export_json(
                 print(f"    {idx + 1:>2d}: {key}")
 
         # process the passed file path into appdir and file_name
-        appdir = pl.Path(".")
-        file_name = pl.Path(fpth)
-        if file_name.parent != str(appdir):
-            appdir = file_name.parent
-            file_name = file_name.name
+        if appdir is None:
+            appdir = pl.Path(".")
+            file_name = pl.Path(fpth)
+            if file_name.parent != str(appdir):
+                appdir = file_name.parent
+                file_name = file_name.name
+            else:
+                for idx, argv in enumerate(sys.argv):
+                    if argv in ("--appdir", "-ad"):
+                        appdir = pl.Path(sys.argv[idx + 1])
         else:
-            for idx, argv in enumerate(sys.argv):
-                if argv in ("--appdir", "-ad"):
-                    appdir = pl.Path(sys.argv[idx + 1])
+            if isinstance(appdir, str):
+                appdir = pl.Path(appdir)
+            file_name = pl.Path(fpth).name
 
         if str(appdir) != ".":
             appdir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
@@ -441,7 +450,7 @@ def export_json(
                 if temp_target in prog_data.keys():
                     prog_data[temp_target]["double_switch"] = True
 
-        # export program data to a json file
+        # write code.json to root directory - used by executables CI
         try:
             with open(file_name, "w") as file_obj:
                 json.dump(prog_data, file_obj, indent=4, sort_keys=True)
@@ -449,7 +458,7 @@ def export_json(
             msg = f'could not export json file "{file_name}"'
             raise IOError(msg)
 
-        # write code.json
+        # write code.json if appdir is not the root directory
         if str(appdir) != ".":
             dst = appdir / file_name
             with open(dst, "w") as file_obj: