diff --git a/kitty/utils.py b/kitty/utils.py
index b5985593a..723dacc3e 100644
--- a/kitty/utils.py
+++ b/kitty/utils.py
@@ -120,15 +120,15 @@ def command_for_open(program='default'):
     return cmd
 
 
-def open_cmd(cmd, arg=None):
+def open_cmd(cmd, arg=None, cwd=None):
     if arg is not None:
         cmd = list(cmd)
         cmd.append(arg)
-    return subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
+    return subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL, cwd=cwd or None)
 
 
-def open_url(url, program='default'):
-    return open_cmd(command_for_open(program), url)
+def open_url(url, program='default', cwd=None):
+    return open_cmd(command_for_open(program), url, cwd=cwd)
 
 
 def detach(fork=True, setsid=True, redirect=True):
diff --git a/kitty/window.py b/kitty/window.py
index 3a5d009d3..d3d6532df 100644
--- a/kitty/window.py
+++ b/kitty/window.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import weakref
 from collections import deque
 from enum import Enum
 
+from .child import cwd_of_process
 from .config import build_ansi_color_table, parse_send_text_bytes
 from .constants import (
     ScreenGeometry, WindowGeometry, appname, get_boss, wakeup
@@ -348,12 +349,14 @@ class Window:
             set_clipboard_string(text)
 
     def pass_selection_to_program(self, *args):
+        pid = self.child.pid
+        cwd = cwd_of_process(pid)
         text = self.text_for_selection()
         if text:
             if args:
-                open_cmd(args, text)
+                open_cmd(args, text, cwd=cwd)
             else:
-                open_url(text)
+                open_url(text, cwd=cwd)
 
     def scroll_line_up(self):
         if self.screen.is_main_linebuf():