diff --git a/tools/cartopy_feature_download.py b/tools/cartopy_feature_download.py
index 81b517f55..f38901b48 100755
--- a/tools/cartopy_feature_download.py
+++ b/tools/cartopy_feature_download.py
@@ -10,19 +10,24 @@
 
 For detail on how to use this tool, execute it with the `-h` option:
 
-    python download.py -h
+    python cartopy_feature_download.py -h
 
 """
 
 import argparse
+import pathlib
 
 from cartopy import config
 from cartopy.feature import Feature, GSHHSFeature, NaturalEarthFeature
-from cartopy.io import Downloader
+from cartopy.io import Downloader, DownloadWarning
 
 
 ALL_SCALES = ('110m', '50m', '10m')
 
+# See https://github.com/SciTools/cartopy/pull/1833
+URL_TEMPLATE = ('https://naturalearth.s3.amazonaws.com/{resolution}_'
+                '{category}/ne_{resolution}_{name}.zip')
+SHP_NE_SPEC = ('shapefiles', 'natural_earth')
 
 FEATURE_DEFN_GROUPS = {
     # Only need one GSHHS resolution because they *all* get downloaded
@@ -114,11 +119,28 @@ def download_features(group_names, dry_run=True):
                         action='store_true')
     parser.add_argument('--ignore-repo-data', action='store_true',
                         help='ignore existing repo data when downloading')
+    parser.add_argument('--no-warn',
+                        action='store_true',
+                        help='ignore cartopy "DownloadWarning" warnings')
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     if args.output:
-        config['pre_existing_data_dir'] = args.output
-        config['data_dir'] = args.output
+        target_dir = pathlib.Path(args.output).expanduser().resolve()
+        target_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        config['pre_existing_data_dir'] = target_dir
+        config['data_dir'] = target_dir
     if args.ignore_repo_data:
         config['repo_data_dir'] = config['data_dir']
+    if args.no_warn:
+        import warnings
+        warnings.filterwarnings('ignore', category=DownloadWarning)
+
+    # Enforce use of stable AWS endpoint, regardless of cartopy version.
+    # In doing so, this allows users to download this script and execute it
+    # with any version of cartopy, thus taking advantage of the stable AWS
+    # endpoint.
+    # This removes the need to backport the associated fix
+    # https://github.com/SciTools/cartopy/pull/1833.
+    config['downloaders'][SHP_NE_SPEC].url_template = URL_TEMPLATE
+
     download_features(args.group_names, dry_run=args.dry_run)