diff --git a/cmd/ctr/run.go b/cmd/ctr/run.go
index 5194dffa4..10f218aa4 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/run.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/run.go
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ var runCommand = cli.Command{
 			Name:  "checkpoint",
 			Usage: "provide the checkpoint digest to restore the container",
 		},
+		cli.StringFlag{
+			Name:  "cwd",
+			Usage: "specify the working directory of the process",
+		},
 	}, snapshotterFlags...),
 	Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
 		var (
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/run_unix.go b/cmd/ctr/run_unix.go
index e29f3f157..32d04dc82 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/run_unix.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/run_unix.go
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ func newContainer(ctx gocontext.Context, client *containerd.Client, context *cli
 	if len(args) > 0 {
 		opts = append(opts, containerd.WithProcessArgs(args...))
 	}
+	if cwd := context.String("cwd"); cwd != "" {
+		opts = append(opts, containerd.WithProcessCwd(cwd))
+	}
 	if context.Bool("tty") {
 		opts = append(opts, withTTY())
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/ctr/run_windows.go b/cmd/ctr/run_windows.go
index c3f3ae959..c764230fc 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/run_windows.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/run_windows.go
@@ -107,7 +107,9 @@ func newContainer(ctx gocontext.Context, client *containerd.Client, context *cli
 	if len(args) > 0 {
 		opts = append(opts, containerd.WithProcessArgs(args...))
 	}
-
+	if cwd := context.String("cwd"); cwd != "" {
+		opts = append(opts, containerd.WithProcessCwd(cwd))
+	}
 	return client.NewContainer(ctx, id,
 		containerd.WithNewSpec(opts...),
 		containerd.WithContainerLabels(labels),
diff --git a/spec_opts.go b/spec_opts.go
index 40cd2fa3f..e3edecbe9 100644
--- a/spec_opts.go
+++ b/spec_opts.go
@@ -19,6 +19,14 @@ func WithProcessArgs(args ...string) SpecOpts {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithProcessCwd replaces the current working directory on the generated spec
+func WithProcessCwd(cwd string) SpecOpts {
+	return func(_ context.Context, _ *Client, _ *containers.Container, s *specs.Spec) error {
+		s.Process.Cwd = cwd
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // WithHostname sets the container's hostname
 func WithHostname(name string) SpecOpts {
 	return func(_ context.Context, _ *Client, _ *containers.Container, s *specs.Spec) error {