diff --git a/src/Application.cpp b/src/Application.cpp
index 1c1b28a73..ce178fcee 100644
--- a/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/src/Application.cpp
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ void Application::createWindow(const QString& key , const QString& directory)
 void Application::createSession(const QString& key , const QString& directory , ViewManager* view)
 {
     Session* session = SessionManager::instance()->createSession(key);
-    if (!directory.isEmpty())
+    if (!directory.isEmpty() && session->initialWorkingDirectory().isEmpty())
         session->setInitialWorkingDirectory(directory);
 
     // create view before starting the session process so that the session doesn't suffer
diff --git a/src/MainWindow.cpp b/src/MainWindow.cpp
index e7053df0d..82f46ff97 100644
--- a/src/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ void MainWindow::showShortcutsDialog()
 
 void MainWindow::newFromProfile(const QString& key)
 {
-        emit newSessionRequest(key,QString(),_viewManager);
+    emit newSessionRequest(key, activeSessionDir(), _viewManager);
 }
 void MainWindow::showManageProfilesDialog()
 {
diff --git a/src/Session.cpp b/src/Session.cpp
index 09c94e996..c925fb441 100644
--- a/src/Session.cpp
+++ b/src/Session.cpp
@@ -288,6 +288,8 @@ void Session::run()
   QString cwd_save = QDir::currentPath();
   if (!_initialWorkingDir.isEmpty())
     _shellProcess->setWorkingDirectory(_initialWorkingDir);
+  else
+    _shellProcess->setWorkingDirectory(QDir::homePath());
 
   _shellProcess->setXonXoff(_flowControl);
   _shellProcess->setErase(_emulation->getErase());