diff --git a/source/funkin/backend/system/CommandLineHandler.hx b/source/funkin/backend/system/CommandLineHandler.hx
index 4050b049..3690b6a2 100644
--- a/source/funkin/backend/system/CommandLineHandler.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/backend/system/CommandLineHandler.hx
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ class CommandLineHandler {
 					#end
 					Sys.println("-nocolor             | Disables colors in the terminal");
 					Sys.println("-nogpubitmap         | Forces GPU only bitmaps off");
+					Sys.println("-nocwdfix            | Turns off automatic working directory fix");
 					Sys.exit(0);
 				#if MOD_SUPPORT
 				case "-m" | "-mod" | "-currentmod":
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ class CommandLineHandler {
 					Main.noTerminalColor = true;
 				case "-nogpubitmap":
 					Main.forceGPUOnlyBitmapsOff = true;
+				case "-nocwdfix":
+					Main.noCwdFix = true;
 				case "-livereload":
 					// do nothing
 				default:
diff --git a/source/funkin/backend/system/Main.hx b/source/funkin/backend/system/Main.hx
index cad2266e..e1f22794 100644
--- a/source/funkin/backend/system/Main.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/backend/system/Main.hx
@@ -204,4 +204,13 @@ class Main extends Sprite
 
 		MemoryUtil.clearMajor();
 	}
+
+	public static var noCwdFix:Bool = false;
+	public static function fixWorkingDirectory() {
+		#if windows
+			if (!noCwdFix && !sys.FileSystem.exists('manifest/default.json')) {
+				Sys.setCwd(haxe.io.Path.directory(Sys.programPath()));
+			}
+		#end
+	}
 }
diff --git a/source/lime/system/System.hx b/source/lime/system/System.hx
index 34599615..59b71a83 100644
--- a/source/lime/system/System.hx
+++ b/source/lime/system/System.hx
@@ -536,6 +536,7 @@ class System
 		#if (sys && !macro)
 		funkin.backend.utils.NativeAPI.registerAsDPICompatible();
 		funkin.backend.system.CommandLineHandler.parseCommandLine(Sys.args());
+		funkin.backend.system.Main.fixWorkingDirectory();
 		#end
 
 		if (__applicationEntryPoint == null)