diff --git a/src/engine.jl b/src/engine.jl
index 993c4cb..d3c1ae9 100644
--- a/src/engine.jl
+++ b/src/engine.jl
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ mutable struct MSession
 
     function MSession(bufsize::Integer = default_output_buffer_size)
         ep = ccall(eng_open[], Ptr{Void}, (Ptr{UInt8},), default_startcmd)
-         if ep == C_NULL
+        if ep == C_NULL
             Base.warn_once("Confirm MATLAB is installed and discoverable.")
             if iswindows()
                 Base.warn_once("Ensure `matlab -regserver` has been run in a Command Prompt as Administrator.")
@@ -26,9 +26,12 @@ mutable struct MSession
             end
             throw(MEngineError("failed to open MATLAB engine session"))
         end
-        # hide the MATLAB command window on Windows
-        iswindows() && ccall(eng_set_visible[], Cint, (Ptr{Void}, Cint), ep, 0)
-
+        if iswindows()
+            # hide the MATLAB command window on Windows and change to current directory
+            ccall(eng_set_visible[], Cint, (Ptr{Void}, Cint), ep, 0)
+            ccall(eng_eval_string[], Cint, (Ptr{Void}, Ptr{UInt8}),
+                ep, "try cd('$(escape_string(pwd()))'); end")
+        end
         buf = Vector{UInt8}(bufsize)
         if bufsize > 0
             bufptr = pointer(buf)