diff --git a/cmd-new-session.c b/cmd-new-session.c
index efddc228..81c2f467 100644
--- a/cmd-new-session.c
+++ b/cmd-new-session.c
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ cmd_new_session_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	struct termios		 tio, *tiop;
 	struct session_group	*sg;
 	const char		*newname, *errstr, *template, *group, *prefix;
-	const char		*path, *cmd, *cwd, *to_free = NULL;
-	char		       **argv, *cause, *cp;
+	const char		*path, *cmd, *cwd;
+	char		       **argv, *cause, *cp, *to_free = NULL;
 	int			 detached, already_attached, idx, argc;
 	int			 is_control = 0;
 	u_int			 sx, sy;
@@ -151,7 +151,8 @@ cmd_new_session_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	/* Get the new session working directory. */
 	if (args_has(args, 'c')) {
 		cwd = args_get(args, 'c');
-		to_free = cwd = format_single(item, cwd, c, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+		to_free = format_single(item, cwd, c, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+		cwd = to_free;
 	} else if (c != NULL && c->session == NULL && c->cwd != NULL)
 		cwd = c->cwd;
 	else
@@ -327,16 +328,13 @@ cmd_new_session_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 		cmd_find_from_session(&item->shared->current, s);
 	}
 
-	if (to_free != NULL)
-		free((void *)to_free);
-
 	cmd_find_from_session(&fs, s);
 	hooks_insert(s->hooks, item, &fs, "after-new-session");
 
+	free(to_free);
 	return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
 
 error:
-	if (to_free != NULL)
-		free((void *)to_free);
+	free(to_free);
 	return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 }
diff --git a/cmd-new-window.c b/cmd-new-window.c
index 82f1d745..7cb83f58 100644
--- a/cmd-new-window.c
+++ b/cmd-new-window.c
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ cmd_new_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	struct winlink		*wl = item->target.wl;
 	struct client		*c = cmd_find_client(item, NULL, 1);
 	int			 idx = item->target.idx;
-	const char		*cmd, *path, *template, *cwd, *to_free;
-	char		       **argv, *cause, *cp;
+	const char		*cmd, *path, *template, *cwd;
+	char		       **argv, *cause, *cp, *to_free = NULL;
 	int			 argc, detached;
 	struct environ_entry	*envent;
 	struct cmd_find_state	 fs;
@@ -93,10 +93,10 @@ cmd_new_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	if (envent != NULL)
 		path = envent->value;
 
-	to_free = NULL;
 	if (args_has(args, 'c')) {
 		cwd = args_get(args, 'c');
-		to_free = cwd = format_single(item, cwd, c, s, NULL, NULL);
+		to_free = format_single(item, cwd, c, s, NULL, NULL);
+		cwd = to_free;
 	} else if (item->client != NULL && item->client->session == NULL)
 		cwd = item->client->cwd;
 	else
@@ -146,16 +146,13 @@ cmd_new_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 		free(cp);
 	}
 
-	if (to_free != NULL)
-		free((void *)to_free);
-
 	cmd_find_from_winlink(&fs, wl);
 	hooks_insert(s->hooks, item, &fs, "after-new-window");
 
+	free(to_free);
 	return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
 
 error:
-	if (to_free != NULL)
-		free((void *)to_free);
+	free(to_free);
 	return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 }
diff --git a/cmd-respawn-pane.c b/cmd-respawn-pane.c
index a1178147..3d78c495 100644
--- a/cmd-respawn-pane.c
+++ b/cmd-respawn-pane.c
@@ -34,8 +34,9 @@ const struct cmd_entry cmd_respawn_pane_entry = {
 	.name = "respawn-pane",
 	.alias = "respawnp",
 
-	.args = { "kt:", 0, -1 },
-	.usage = "[-k] " CMD_TARGET_PANE_USAGE " [command]",
+	.args = { "c:kt:", 0, -1 },
+	.usage = "[-c start-directory] [-k] " CMD_TARGET_PANE_USAGE
+	         " [command]",
 
 	.target = { 't', CMD_FIND_PANE, 0 },
 
@@ -50,10 +51,11 @@ cmd_respawn_pane_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	struct winlink		*wl = item->target.wl;
 	struct window		*w = wl->window;
 	struct window_pane	*wp = item->target.wp;
+	struct client           *c = cmd_find_client(item, NULL, 1);
 	struct session		*s = item->target.s;
 	struct environ		*env;
-	const char		*path;
-	char			*cause;
+	const char		*path = NULL, *cp;
+	char			*cause, *cwd = NULL;
 	u_int			 idx;
 	struct environ_entry	*envent;
 
@@ -69,7 +71,6 @@ cmd_respawn_pane_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	screen_reinit(&wp->base);
 	input_init(wp);
 
-	path = NULL;
 	if (item->client != NULL && item->client->session == NULL)
 		envent = environ_find(item->client->environ, "PATH");
 	else
@@ -77,15 +78,20 @@ cmd_respawn_pane_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	if (envent != NULL)
 		path = envent->value;
 
+	if ((cp = args_get(args, 'c')) != NULL)
+		cwd = format_single(item, cp, c, s, NULL, NULL);
+
 	env = environ_for_session(s, 0);
-	if (window_pane_spawn(wp, args->argc, args->argv, path, NULL, NULL, env,
+	if (window_pane_spawn(wp, args->argc, args->argv, path, NULL, cwd, env,
 	    s->tio, &cause) != 0) {
 		cmdq_error(item, "respawn pane failed: %s", cause);
 		free(cause);
 		environ_free(env);
+		free(cwd);
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 	}
 	environ_free(env);
+	free(cwd);
 
 	wp->flags |= PANE_REDRAW;
 	server_status_window(w);
diff --git a/cmd-respawn-window.c b/cmd-respawn-window.c
index 48e6a97f..a1e26117 100644
--- a/cmd-respawn-window.c
+++ b/cmd-respawn-window.c
@@ -34,8 +34,9 @@ const struct cmd_entry cmd_respawn_window_entry = {
 	.name = "respawn-window",
 	.alias = "respawnw",
 
-	.args = { "kt:", 0, -1 },
-	.usage = "[-k] " CMD_TARGET_WINDOW_USAGE " [command]",
+	.args = { "c:kt:", 0, -1 },
+	.usage = "[-c start-directory] [-k] " CMD_TARGET_WINDOW_USAGE
+	         " [command]",
 
 	.target = { 't', CMD_FIND_WINDOW, 0 },
 
@@ -51,9 +52,10 @@ cmd_respawn_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	struct winlink		*wl = item->target.wl;
 	struct window		*w = wl->window;
 	struct window_pane	*wp;
+	struct client           *c = cmd_find_client(item, NULL, 1);
 	struct environ		*env;
-	const char		*path;
-	char		 	*cause;
+	const char		*path = NULL, *cp;
+	char		 	*cause, *cwd = NULL;
 	struct environ_entry	*envent;
 
 	if (!args_has(self->args, 'k')) {
@@ -73,7 +75,6 @@ cmd_respawn_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&w->panes, wp, entry);
 	window_pane_resize(wp, w->sx, w->sy);
 
-	path = NULL;
 	if (item->client != NULL && item->client->session == NULL)
 		envent = environ_find(item->client->environ, "PATH");
 	else
@@ -81,16 +82,22 @@ cmd_respawn_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	if (envent != NULL)
 		path = envent->value;
 
+	if ((cp = args_get(args, 'c')) != NULL)
+		cwd = format_single(item, cp, c, s, NULL, NULL);
+
 	env = environ_for_session(s, 0);
-	if (window_pane_spawn(wp, args->argc, args->argv, path, NULL, NULL, env,
+	if (window_pane_spawn(wp, args->argc, args->argv, path, NULL, cwd, env,
 	    s->tio, &cause) != 0) {
 		cmdq_error(item, "respawn window failed: %s", cause);
 		free(cause);
 		environ_free(env);
+		free(cwd);
 		server_destroy_pane(wp, 0);
 		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 	}
 	environ_free(env);
+	free(cwd);
+
 	layout_init(w, wp);
 	window_pane_reset_mode(wp);
 	screen_reinit(&wp->base);
diff --git a/cmd-split-window.c b/cmd-split-window.c
index 4d94cd91..ad403196 100644
--- a/cmd-split-window.c
+++ b/cmd-split-window.c
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	struct window		*w = wl->window;
 	struct window_pane	*wp = item->target.wp, *new_wp = NULL;
 	struct environ		*env;
-	const char		*cmd, *path, *shell, *template, *cwd, *to_free;
-	char		       **argv, *cause, *new_cause, *cp;
+	const char		*cmd, *path, *shell, *template, *cwd;
+	char		       **argv, *cause, *new_cause, *cp, *to_free = NULL;
 	u_int			 hlimit;
 	int			 argc, size, percentage;
 	enum layout_type	 type;
@@ -86,10 +86,10 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 		argv = args->argv;
 	}
 
-	to_free = NULL;
 	if (args_has(args, 'c')) {
 		cwd = args_get(args, 'c');
-		to_free = cwd = format_single(item, cwd, c, s, NULL, NULL);
+		to_free = format_single(item, cwd, c, s, NULL, NULL);
+		cwd = to_free;
 	} else if (item->client != NULL && item->client->session == NULL)
 		cwd = item->client->cwd;
 	else
@@ -172,12 +172,10 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	}
 	notify_window("window-layout-changed", w);
 
-	if (to_free != NULL)
-		free((void *)to_free);
-
 	cmd_find_from_winlink_pane(&fs, wl, new_wp);
 	hooks_insert(s->hooks, item, &fs, "after-split-window");
 
+	free(to_free);
 	return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
 
 error:
@@ -188,7 +186,6 @@ error:
 	cmdq_error(item, "create pane failed: %s", cause);
 	free(cause);
 
-	if (to_free != NULL)
-		free((void *)to_free);
+	free(to_free);
 	return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 }
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index 4f9e3e5d..c9a181e6 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -1834,6 +1834,7 @@ and unzoomed (its normal position in the layout).
 begins mouse resizing (only valid if bound to a mouse key binding, see
 .Sx MOUSE SUPPORT ) .
 .It Xo Ic respawn-pane
+.Op Fl c Ar start-directory
 .Op Fl k
 .Op Fl t Ar target-pane
 .Op Ar shell-command
@@ -1848,7 +1849,10 @@ is not given, the command used when the pane was created is executed.
 The pane must be already inactive, unless
 .Fl k
 is given, in which case any existing command is killed.
+.Fl c
+specifies a new working directory for the pane.
 .It Xo Ic respawn-window
+.Op Fl c Ar start-directory
 .Op Fl k
 .Op Fl t Ar target-window
 .Op Ar shell-command
@@ -1863,6 +1867,8 @@ is not given, the command used when the window was created is executed.
 The window must be already inactive, unless
 .Fl k
 is given, in which case any existing command is killed.
+.Fl c
+specifies a new working directory for the window.
 .It Xo Ic rotate-window
 .Op Fl DU
 .Op Fl t Ar target-window