diff --git a/source/cppfront.cpp b/source/cppfront.cpp
index 9e9a7821fe..64c53689d2 100644
--- a/source/cppfront.cpp
+++ b/source/cppfront.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ auto main(
         return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
 
+    if (std::filesystem::exists(flag_cwd)) {
+        std::filesystem::current_path(flag_cwd);
+    }
+
     //  For each Cpp2 source file
     int exit_status = EXIT_SUCCESS;
     for (auto const& arg : cmdline.arguments())
diff --git a/source/to_cpp1.h b/source/to_cpp1.h
index 80e0ebad5b..d83806df0c 100644
--- a/source/to_cpp1.h
+++ b/source/to_cpp1.h
@@ -176,6 +176,15 @@ static cmdline_processor::register_flag cmd_cpp1_filename(
     [](std::string const& name) { flag_cpp1_filename = name; }
 );
 
+static auto flag_cwd = std::filesystem::path{};;
+static cpp2::cmdline_processor::register_flag cmd_cwd(
+    9,
+    "cwd directory",
+    "Change current working directory",
+    nullptr,
+    [](std::string const& path) { flag_cwd = { path }; }
+);
+
 static auto flag_print_colon_errors = false;
 static cmdline_processor::register_flag cmd_print_colon_errors(
     9,
@@ -1297,8 +1306,11 @@ class cppfront
 
         //  Now we'll open the Cpp1 file
         auto cpp1_filename = sourcefile.substr(0, std::ssize(sourcefile) - 1);
-        if (!flag_cpp1_filename.empty()) {
-            cpp1_filename = flag_cpp1_filename; // use override if present
+        if (!flag_cpp1_filename.empty()) { // use override if present
+            cpp1_filename = flag_cpp1_filename;
+        }
+        else if (!flag_cwd.empty()) {      // strip leading path if cwd was explicitly set
+            cpp1_filename = std::filesystem::path(cpp1_filename).filename().string();
         }
 
         printer.open(