diff --git a/lisp/ox.el b/lisp/ox.el
index 9cf62078a..77cafb20d 100644
--- a/lisp/ox.el
+++ b/lisp/ox.el
@@ -6417,6 +6417,20 @@ Return file name as a string."
 	      "Output file: " pub-dir nil nil nil
 	      (lambda (n) (string= extension (file-name-extension n t))))))
 	   extension))
+	 (pub-dir (or pub-dir
+		      (and subtreep (org-entry-get
+				     nil "EXPORT_PUB_DIR" 'selective))
+		      (org-with-point-at (point-min)
+			(catch :found
+			  (let ((case-fold-search t))
+			    (while (re-search-forward
+				    "^[ \t]*#\\+EXPORT_PUB_DIR:[ \t]+\\S-"
+				    nil t)
+			      (let ((element (org-element-at-point)))
+				(when (eq 'keyword (org-element-type element))
+				  (throw :found
+					 (org-element-property
+					  :value element))))))))))
 	 (output-file
 	  ;; Build file name.  Enforce EXTENSION over whatever user
 	  ;; may have come up with.  PUB-DIR, if defined, always has