diff --git a/cmd-new-window.c b/cmd-new-window.c
index 955f6449..cdf45006 100644
--- a/cmd-new-window.c
+++ b/cmd-new-window.c
@@ -98,13 +98,7 @@ cmd_new_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 		cmd = options_get_string(&s->options, "default-command");
 	else
 		cmd = args->argv[0];
-	cwd = options_get_string(&s->options, "default-path");
-	if (*cwd == '\0') {
-		if (ctx->cmdclient != NULL && ctx->cmdclient->cwd != NULL)
-			cwd = ctx->cmdclient->cwd;
-		else
-			cwd = s->cwd;
-	}
+	cwd = cmd_get_default_path(ctx);
 
 	if (idx == -1)
 		idx = -1 - options_get_number(&s->options, "base-index");
diff --git a/cmd-split-window.c b/cmd-split-window.c
index b1b738b1..7184d964 100644
--- a/cmd-split-window.c
+++ b/cmd-split-window.c
@@ -78,13 +78,7 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 		cmd = options_get_string(&s->options, "default-command");
 	else
 		cmd = args->argv[0];
-	cwd = options_get_string(&s->options, "default-path");
-	if (*cwd == '\0') {
-		if (ctx->cmdclient != NULL && ctx->cmdclient->cwd != NULL)
-			cwd = ctx->cmdclient->cwd;
-		else
-			cwd = s->cwd;
-	}
+	cwd = cmd_get_default_path(ctx);
 
 	type = LAYOUT_TOPBOTTOM;
 	if (args_has(args, 'h'))
diff --git a/cmd.c b/cmd.c
index db72337d..6a87f90f 100644
--- a/cmd.c
+++ b/cmd.c
@@ -1213,3 +1213,28 @@ cmd_template_replace(char *template, const char *s, int idx)
 
 	return (buf);
 }
+
+/* Return the default path for a new pane. */
+char *
+cmd_get_default_path(struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
+{
+	char			*cwd;
+	struct session		*s;
+	struct window_pane	*wp;
+
+	if ((s = cmd_current_session(ctx, 0)) == NULL)
+		return (NULL);
+
+	cwd = options_get_string(&s->options, "default-path");
+	if (*cwd == '\0') {
+		if (ctx->cmdclient != NULL && ctx->cmdclient->cwd != NULL)
+			return (ctx->cmdclient->cwd);
+		if (ctx->curclient != NULL) {
+			wp = s->curw->window->active;
+			if ((cwd = get_proc_cwd(wp->pid)) != NULL)
+				return (cwd);
+		}
+		return (s->cwd);
+	}
+	return (cwd);
+}
diff --git a/procname.c b/procname.c
index 30f71847..370fe342 100644
--- a/procname.c
+++ b/procname.c
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@
 	((p)->p_stat == SSTOP || (p)->p_stat == SZOMB || (p)->p_stat == SDEAD)
 
 struct kinfo_proc	*cmp_procs(struct kinfo_proc *, struct kinfo_proc *);
-char		*get_proc_name(int, char *);
+char			*get_proc_name(int, char *);
+char			*get_proc_cwd(pid_t);
 
 struct kinfo_proc *
 cmp_procs(struct kinfo_proc *p1, struct kinfo_proc *p2)
@@ -130,3 +131,15 @@ error:
 	free(buf);
 	return (NULL);
 }
+
+char*
+get_proc_cwd(pid_t pid)
+{
+	int		name[] = { CTL_KERN, KERN_PROC_CWD, (int)pid };
+	static char	path[MAXPATHLEN];
+	size_t		pathlen = sizeof path;
+
+	if (sysctl(name, 3, path, &pathlen, NULL, 0) != 0)
+		return (NULL);
+	return (path);
+}
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index 29a2a92d..4c09de68 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -1841,10 +1841,10 @@ to create a login shell using the value of the
 .Ic default-shell
 option.
 .It Ic default-path Ar path
-Set the default working directory for processes created from keys, or
-interactively from the prompt.
-The default is empty, which means to use the working directory of the shell
-from which the server was started if it is available or the user's home if not.
+Set the default working directory for new panes.
+If empty (the default), the working directory is determined from the process
+running in the active pane, from the command line environment or from the
+working directory where the session was created.
 .It Ic default-shell Ar path
 Specify the default shell.
 This is used as the login shell for new windows when the
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 83b07ba7..45e41888 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1562,6 +1562,7 @@ int		 cmd_find_index(
 struct winlink	*cmd_find_pane(struct cmd_ctx *,
 		     const char *, struct session **, struct window_pane **);
 char		*cmd_template_replace(char *, const char *, int);
+char		*cmd_get_default_path(struct cmd_ctx *ctx);
 extern const struct cmd_entry *cmd_table[];
 extern const struct cmd_entry cmd_attach_session_entry;
 extern const struct cmd_entry cmd_bind_key_entry;
@@ -2079,6 +2080,7 @@ u_int	utf8_split2(u_int, u_char *);
 
 /* procname.c */
 char   *get_proc_name(int, char *);
+char   *get_proc_cwd(pid_t);
 
 /* log.c */
 void		 log_open_tty(int);