diff --git a/internal/cri/server/container_create.go b/internal/cri/server/container_create.go
index f1bb9ddf5..3318d382b 100644
--- a/internal/cri/server/container_create.go
+++ b/internal/cri/server/container_create.go
@@ -858,6 +858,8 @@ func (c *criService) buildWindowsSpec(
 		specOpts = append(specOpts, oci.WithProcessCwd(config.GetWorkingDir()))
 	} else if imageConfig.WorkingDir != "" {
 		specOpts = append(specOpts, oci.WithProcessCwd(imageConfig.WorkingDir))
+	} else if cntrHpc {
+		specOpts = append(specOpts, oci.WithProcessCwd(`C:\hpc`))
 	}
 
 	if config.GetTty() {