diff --git a/karaf/assembly/src/main/distribution/unix-shell/bin/karaf b/karaf/assembly/src/main/distribution/unix-shell/bin/karaf
index e24317d..86137e6 100755
--- a/karaf/assembly/src/main/distribution/unix-shell/bin/karaf
+++ b/karaf/assembly/src/main/distribution/unix-shell/bin/karaf
@@ -285,6 +285,7 @@
         KARAF_BASE=`cygpath --path --windows "$KARAF_BASE"`
         CLASSPATH=`cygpath --path --windows "$CLASSPATH"`
     fi
+    cd $KARAF_BASE
     exec $JAVA $JAVA_OPTS -Dstorage.location="${KARAF_HOME}/instances" -Dkaraf.home="$KARAF_HOME" -Dkaraf.base="$KARAF_BASE" -Djava.util.logging.config.file=$KARAF_BASE/etc/java.util.logging.properties $OPTS -classpath "$CLASSPATH" org.apache.felix.karaf.main.Bootstrap "$@"
 }
 
diff --git a/karaf/assembly/src/main/distribution/windows-text/bin/karaf.bat b/karaf/assembly/src/main/distribution/windows-text/bin/karaf.bat
index 376f6d8..5eb74ea 100755
--- a/karaf/assembly/src/main/distribution/windows-text/bin/karaf.bat
+++ b/karaf/assembly/src/main/distribution/windows-text/bin/karaf.bat
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@
     if "%SHIFT%" == "true" SET ARGS=%2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8
     if not "%SHIFT%" == "true" SET ARGS=%1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8    
     rem Execute the Java Virtual Machine
+    cd %KARAF_BASE% 
     "%JAVA%" %JAVA_OPTS% %OPTS% -classpath "%CLASSPATH%" -Dstorage.location="%KARAF_HOME%\instances" -Dkaraf.home="%KARAF_HOME%" -Dkaraf.base="%KARAF_BASE%" -Djava.util.logging.config.file="%KARAF_BASE%\etc\java.util.logging.properties" org.apache.felix.karaf.main.Bootstrap %ARGS%
 
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