diff --git a/.github/workflows/bat.yml b/.github/workflows/bat.yml
index c35de53..6f9782d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bat.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bat.yml
@@ -74,3 +74,17 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./
         with:
           command: assert(onetyone==11, 'the variable `onetyone` was not set as expected by startup.m')
+
+      - run: |
+          mkdir subdir
+          echo 'onetyonetyone = 111' > subdir/startup.m
+        shell: bash
+
+      - name: MATLAB sd startup option is not overwritten
+        uses: ./
+        with:
+          command: >
+            assert(onetyonetyone==111);
+            [~, f] = fileparts(pwd);
+            assert(strcmp(f, 'subdir'));
+          startup-options: -sd subdir
diff --git a/src/matlab.ts b/src/matlab.ts
index 5fde9b6..6017d97 100644
--- a/src/matlab.ts
+++ b/src/matlab.ts
@@ -33,11 +33,14 @@ export async function generateScript(workspaceDir: string, command: string): Pro
     const temporaryDirectory = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "run_matlab_command-"));
 
     const scriptPath = path.join(temporaryDirectory, scriptName + ".m");
-    await fs.writeFile(scriptPath, script.cdAndCall(workspaceDir, command), {
+    await fs.writeFile(scriptPath, script.cdAndCall(command), {
         encoding: "utf8",
     });
 
-    return { dir: temporaryDirectory, command: scriptName };
+    return { 
+        dir: temporaryDirectory, 
+        command: scriptName 
+    };
 }
 
 /**
@@ -54,7 +57,7 @@ export async function runCommand(hs: HelperScript, platform: string, architectur
     const rmcPath = getRunMATLABCommandScriptPath(platform, architecture);
     await fs.chmod(rmcPath, 0o777);
 
-    const rmcArg = script.cdAndCall(hs.dir, hs.command);
+    const rmcArg = `setenv('MW_ORIG_WORKING_FOLDER', cd('${script.pathToCharVec(hs.dir)}'));${hs.command}`;
 
     let execArgs = [rmcArg];
 
diff --git a/src/script.ts b/src/script.ts
index c27c44f..cb2a464 100644
--- a/src/script.ts
+++ b/src/script.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright 2020 The MathWorks, Inc.
+// Copyright 2020-2023 The MathWorks, Inc.
 
 /**
  * Generate MATLAB command for changing directories and calling a command in it.
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
  * @param command Command to run in directory.
  * @returns MATLAB command.
  */
-export function cdAndCall(dir: string, command: string): string {
-    return `cd('${pathToCharVec(dir)}');${command}`;
+export function cdAndCall(command: string): string {
+    return `cd(getenv('MW_ORIG_WORKING_FOLDER'));${command}`;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/script.unit.test.ts b/src/script.unit.test.ts
index 6eb324d..e76ea3b 100644
--- a/src/script.unit.test.ts
+++ b/src/script.unit.test.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,14 @@
-// Copyright 2020 The MathWorks, Inc.
+// Copyright 2020-2023 The MathWorks, Inc.
 
 import * as script from "./script";
 
 describe("call generation", () => {
     it("ideally works", () => {
         // I know what your thinking
-        const testDir = String.raw`C:\Users\you\You're Documents`;
         const testCommand = "disp('hello world')";
-        const expectedString = String.raw`cd('C:\Users\you\You''re Documents');${testCommand}`;
+        const expectedString = `cd(getenv('MW_ORIG_WORKING_FOLDER'));${testCommand}`;
 
-        expect(script.cdAndCall(testDir, testCommand)).toMatch(expectedString);
+        expect(script.cdAndCall(testCommand)).toMatch(expectedString);
     });
 });