diff --git a/hate_crack/api.py b/hate_crack/api.py
index fb9909f..0fec8d8 100644
--- a/hate_crack/api.py
+++ b/hate_crack/api.py
@@ -918,7 +918,9 @@ class HashviewAPI:
 
                 # Append found hashes to the left file
                 with open(output_abs, "a", encoding="utf-8") as lf:
-                    with open(found_hashes_file, "r", encoding="utf-8", errors="ignore") as fhf:
+                    with open(
+                        found_hashes_file, "r", encoding="utf-8", errors="ignore"
+                    ) as fhf:
                         for line in fhf:
                             line = line.strip()
                             if line:
@@ -930,16 +932,22 @@ class HashviewAPI:
                 if potfile_path:
                     appended = 0
                     with open(potfile_path, "a", encoding="utf-8") as pf:
-                        with open(found_file, "r", encoding="utf-8", errors="ignore") as ff:
+                        with open(
+                            found_file, "r", encoding="utf-8", errors="ignore"
+                        ) as ff:
                             for line in ff:
                                 line = line.strip()
                                 if line and ":" in line:
                                     pf.write(line + "\n")
                                     appended += 1
                     combined_count = appended
-                    print(f"✓ Appended {appended} found hashes to potfile: {potfile_path}")
+                    print(
+                        f"✓ Appended {appended} found hashes to potfile: {potfile_path}"
+                    )
                 else:
-                    print("Warning: No potfile path configured, skipping potfile update")
+                    print(
+                        "Warning: No potfile path configured, skipping potfile update"
+                    )
 
                 # Clean up the two found_ files
                 for f_path in (found_file, found_hashes_file, found_clears_file):
@@ -1023,6 +1031,11 @@ class HashviewAPI:
                     output_file = os.path.basename(match.group(1))
                 else:
                     output_file = f"wordlist_{wordlist_id}.gz"
+        if not os.path.isabs(output_file):
+            dest_dir = get_hcat_wordlists_dir()
+            output_file = os.path.join(dest_dir, output_file)
+        os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(output_file), exist_ok=True)
+
         total = int(resp.headers.get("content-length", 0))
         downloaded = 0
         chunk_size = 8192
diff --git a/tests/test_hashview.py b/tests/test_hashview.py
index 8a1df3c..973d733 100644
--- a/tests/test_hashview.py
+++ b/tests/test_hashview.py
@@ -315,6 +315,52 @@ class TestHashviewAPI:
             assert "Cookie" in auth_headers or "uuid" in str(auth_headers)
             assert HASHVIEW_API_KEY in str(auth_headers)
 
+    def test_download_wordlist_saves_to_wordlists_dir(self, api, tmp_path):
+        """When output_file is relative, it should resolve to get_hcat_wordlists_dir()."""
+        wordlists_dir = tmp_path / "wordlists"
+        wordlists_dir.mkdir()
+
+        mock_response = Mock()
+        mock_response.content = b"gzipdata"
+        mock_response.raise_for_status = Mock()
+        mock_response.headers = {
+            "content-length": "8",
+            "content-disposition": 'attachment; filename="mylist.txt.gz"',
+        }
+        mock_response.iter_content = lambda chunk_size=8192: iter(
+            [mock_response.content]
+        )
+        api.session.get.return_value = mock_response
+
+        with patch(
+            "hate_crack.api.get_hcat_wordlists_dir", return_value=str(wordlists_dir)
+        ):
+            result = api.download_wordlist(99)
+
+        expected_path = str(wordlists_dir / "mylist.txt.gz")
+        assert result["output_file"] == expected_path
+        assert os.path.exists(expected_path)
+        with open(expected_path, "rb") as f:
+            assert f.read() == b"gzipdata"
+
+    def test_download_wordlist_absolute_path_unchanged(self, api, tmp_path):
+        """When output_file is absolute, it should not be redirected."""
+        abs_output = str(tmp_path / "direct_output.gz")
+
+        mock_response = Mock()
+        mock_response.content = b"data"
+        mock_response.raise_for_status = Mock()
+        mock_response.headers = {"content-length": "4"}
+        mock_response.iter_content = lambda chunk_size=8192: iter(
+            [mock_response.content]
+        )
+        api.session.get.return_value = mock_response
+
+        result = api.download_wordlist(99, output_file=abs_output)
+
+        assert result["output_file"] == abs_output
+        assert os.path.exists(abs_output)
+
     def test_list_wordlists_live(self):
         """Live test for Hashview wordlist listing with auth headers."""
         # Only run this test if explicitly enabled
@@ -600,7 +646,9 @@ class TestHashviewAPI:
 
         # Verify found files are cleaned up after merge
         found_file = tmp_path / "found_1_2.txt"
-        assert not os.path.exists(found_file), "Found file should be deleted after merge"
+        assert not os.path.exists(found_file), (
+            "Found file should be deleted after merge"
+        )
 
         found_hashes_file = tmp_path / "found_hashes_1_2.txt"
         found_clears_file = tmp_path / "found_clears_1_2.txt"