diff --git a/st.1 b/st.1
index 57ddfb8..acb4c2a 100644
--- a/st.1
+++ b/st.1
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ st \- simple terminal
 .RB [ \-aiv ]
 .RB [ \-c
 .IR class ]
+.RB [ \-d
+.IR path ]
 .RB [ \-f
 .IR font ]
 .RB [ \-g
@@ -32,6 +34,8 @@ st \- simple terminal
 .RB [ \-aiv ]
 .RB [ \-c
 .IR class ]
+.RB [ \-d
+.IR path ]
 .RB [ \-f
 .IR font ]
 .RB [ \-g
@@ -62,6 +66,10 @@ disable alternate screens in terminal
 .BI \-c " class"
 defines the window class (default $TERM).
 .TP
+.BI \-d " path"
+changes the working directory to
+.IR path .
+.TP
 .BI \-f " font"
 defines the
 .I font
diff --git a/x.c b/x.c
index 59ad4ea..ef41349 100644
--- a/x.c
+++ b/x.c
@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@ static char *opt_io    = NULL;
 static char *opt_line  = NULL;
 static char *opt_name  = NULL;
 static char *opt_title = NULL;
+static char *opt_dir   = NULL;
 
 static uint buttons; /* bit field of pressed buttons */
 
@@ -2205,12 +2206,12 @@ run(void)
 void
 usage(void)
 {
-	die("usage: %s [-aiv] [-c class] [-f font] [-g geometry]"
-	    " [-n name] [-o file]\n"
+	die("usage: %s [-aiv] [-c class] [-d path] [-f font]"
+	    " [-g geometry] [-n name] [-o file]\n"
 	    "          [-T title] [-t title] [-w windowid]"
 	    " [[-e] command [args ...]]\n"
-	    "       %s [-aiv] [-c class] [-f font] [-g geometry]"
-	    " [-n name] [-o file]\n"
+	    "       %s [-aiv] [-c class] [-d path] [-f font]"
+	    " [-g geometry] [-n name] [-o file]\n"
 	    "          [-T title] [-t title] [-w windowid] -l line"
 	    " [stty_args ...]\n", argv0, argv0);
 }
@@ -2270,6 +2271,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		if (!(defaultfontsize > 0))
 			usage();
 		break;
+	case 'd':
+		opt_dir = EARGF(usage());
+		break;
 	default:
 		usage();
 	} ARGEND;
@@ -2289,6 +2293,7 @@ run:
 	xinit(cols, rows);
 	xsetenv();
 	selinit();
+	chdir(opt_dir);
 	run();
 
 	return 0;