diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 6203f0f1..94a6eb4b 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -46,13 +46,22 @@ fn main() {
             direction,
             line_number,
             floating,
+            cwd,
         })) = opts.command
         {
+            let mut file = file;
+            let cwd = cwd.or_else(|| std::env::current_dir().ok());
+            if file.is_relative() {
+                if let Some(cwd) = cwd.as_ref() {
+                    file = cwd.join(file);
+                }
+            }
             let command_cli_action = CliAction::Edit {
                 file,
                 direction,
                 line_number,
                 floating,
+                cwd,
             };
             commands::send_action_to_session(command_cli_action, opts.session);
             std::process::exit(0);
diff --git a/zellij-server/src/unit/screen_tests.rs b/zellij-server/src/unit/screen_tests.rs
index f55b0a1c..f0c625dc 100644
--- a/zellij-server/src/unit/screen_tests.rs
+++ b/zellij-server/src/unit/screen_tests.rs
@@ -1943,6 +1943,7 @@ pub fn send_cli_edit_action_with_default_parameters() {
         direction: None,
         line_number: None,
         floating: false,
+        cwd: None,
     };
     send_cli_action_to_server(
         &session_metadata,
@@ -1980,6 +1981,7 @@ pub fn send_cli_edit_action_with_line_number() {
         direction: None,
         line_number: Some(100),
         floating: false,
+        cwd: None,
     };
     send_cli_action_to_server(
         &session_metadata,
@@ -2017,6 +2019,7 @@ pub fn send_cli_edit_action_with_split_direction() {
         direction: Some(Direction::Down),
         line_number: None,
         floating: false,
+        cwd: None,
     };
     send_cli_action_to_server(
         &session_metadata,
diff --git a/zellij-utils/src/cli.rs b/zellij-utils/src/cli.rs
index baa53b9a..694032dc 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/src/cli.rs
+++ b/zellij-utils/src/cli.rs
@@ -162,6 +162,10 @@ pub enum Sessions {
         /// Open the new pane in floating mode
         #[clap(short, long, value_parser, default_value("false"), takes_value(false))]
         floating: bool,
+
+        /// Change the working directory of the editor
+        #[clap(long, value_parser)]
+        cwd: Option<PathBuf>,
     },
     ConvertConfig {
         old_config_file: PathBuf,
@@ -282,6 +286,10 @@ pub enum CliAction {
         /// Open the new pane in floating mode
         #[clap(short, long, value_parser, default_value("false"), takes_value(false))]
         floating: bool,
+
+        /// Change the working directory of the editor
+        #[clap(long, value_parser)]
+        cwd: Option<PathBuf>,
     },
     /// Switch input mode of all connected clients [locked|pane|tab|resize|move|search|session]
     SwitchMode { input_mode: InputMode },
diff --git a/zellij-utils/src/input/actions.rs b/zellij-utils/src/input/actions.rs
index 189f3cd9..e0337da0 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/src/input/actions.rs
+++ b/zellij-utils/src/input/actions.rs
@@ -301,10 +301,12 @@ impl Action {
                 file,
                 line_number,
                 floating,
+                cwd,
             } => {
                 let mut file = file;
+                let cwd = cwd.or_else(|| std::env::current_dir().ok());
                 if file.is_relative() {
-                    if let Some(cwd) = std::env::current_dir().ok() {
+                    if let Some(cwd) = cwd {
                         file = cwd.join(file);
                     }
                 }