diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a98d883..ca4d07e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -118,9 +118,9 @@ jobs:
 
 See the help docs on [Publishing a Package with Gradle](https://help.github.com/en/github/managing-packages-with-github-packages/configuring-gradle-for-use-with-github-packages#example-using-gradle-groovy-for-a-single-package-in-a-repository) for more information on the `build.gradle` configuration file.
 
-## Apache Maven within a Shared Runner
+## Apache Maven within a self-hosted runner
 
-When using an Actions shared runner the default `$HOME` directory can be shared by a number of workflows at the same time which could overwrite existing settings file. Setting the `m2-home` variable allows you to choose a unique location for your settings file.
+When using an Actions self-hosted runner with multiple shared runners the default `$HOME` directory can be shared by a number runners at the same time which could overwrite existing settings file. Setting the `settings-path` variable allows you to choose a unique location for your settings file.
 
 ```yaml
 jobs:
@@ -137,11 +137,11 @@ jobs:
         server-id: github # Value of the distributionManagement/repository/id field of the pom.xml
         username: ${{ github.actor }} # username for server authentication
         password: ${{ github.token }} # password or token for authentication
-        m2-home: ${{ $GITHUB_WORKSPACE }} # location for the settings.xml file
+        settings-path: ./config # location for the settings.xml file
     - name: Build with Maven
       run: mvn -B package --file pom.xml
     - name: Publish to GitHub Packages Apache Maven
-      run: mvn deploy -s ${{ $GITHUB_WORKSPACE }}/settings.xml
+      run: mvn deploy -s ./config/settings.xml
 ```
 
 # License
diff --git a/__tests__/auth.test.ts b/__tests__/auth.test.ts
index ce13ef7..1d5cee9 100644
--- a/__tests__/auth.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/auth.test.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ describe('auth tests', () => {
 
     const altHome = path.join(__dirname, 'runner', 'settings');
     const altSettingsFile = path.join(altHome, auth.SETTINGS_FILE);
-    process.env[`INPUT_M2-HOME`] = altHome;
+    process.env[`INPUT_SETTINGS-PATH`] = altHome;
     await io.rmRF(altHome); // ensure it doesn't already exist
 
     await auth.configAuthentication(id, username, password);
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ describe('auth tests', () => {
       auth.generate(id, username, password)
     );
 
-    delete process.env[`INPUT_M2-HOME`];
+    delete process.env[`INPUT_SETTINGS-PATH`];
     await io.rmRF(altHome);
   }, 100000);
 
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 1f952a8..a67838c 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ inputs:
     description: 'Password or token for authentication to the Apache Maven
        repository.'
     required: false
+  settings-path:
+    description: 'Path to where the settings.xml file will be written.'
+    required: false
 runs:
   using: 'node12'
   main: 'dist/index.js'
diff --git a/dist/index.js b/dist/index.js
index f4ff8d1..cad2731 100644
--- a/dist/index.js
+++ b/dist/index.js
@@ -4136,7 +4136,7 @@ function configAuthentication(id, username, password) {
             console.log(`creating ${exports.SETTINGS_FILE} with server-id: ${id}, username: ${username}, and a password`);
             // when an alternate m2 location is specified use only that location (no .m2 directory)
             // otherwise use the home/.m2/ path
-            const directory = path.join(core.getInput('m2-home') || os.homedir(), core.getInput('m2-home') ? '' : exports.M2_DIR);
+            const directory = path.join(core.getInput('settings-path') || os.homedir(), core.getInput('settings-path') ? '' : exports.M2_DIR);
             yield io.mkdirP(directory);
             core.debug(`created directory ${directory}`);
             yield write(directory, generate(id, username, password));
diff --git a/src/auth.ts b/src/auth.ts
index 9cfa69a..f50ab7d 100644
--- a/src/auth.ts
+++ b/src/auth.ts
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ export async function configAuthentication(
     // when an alternate m2 location is specified use only that location (no .m2 directory)
     // otherwise use the home/.m2/ path
     const directory: string = path.join(
-      core.getInput('m2-home') || os.homedir(),
-      core.getInput('m2-home') ? '' : M2_DIR
+      core.getInput('settings-path') || os.homedir(),
+      core.getInput('settings-path') ? '' : M2_DIR
     );
     await io.mkdirP(directory);
     core.debug(`created directory ${directory}`);