diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/Surface.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/Surface.zig
index 60296d7e8..1ec79184c 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/Surface.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/Surface.zig
@@ -36,6 +36,13 @@ pub const Options = struct {
 
     /// A font size to set on the surface once it is initialized.
     font_size: ?font.face.DesiredSize = null,
+
+    /// True if this surface has a parent. This is a bit of a hack currently
+    /// to work around newConfig unconditinally inheriting the working
+    /// directory. The proper long term fix is to have the working directory
+    /// inherited upstream likely at the point where this field would be set,
+    /// then remove this field.
+    parent: bool = false,
 };
 
 /// Where the title of this surface will go.
@@ -49,6 +56,9 @@ const Title = union(enum) {
 /// surface has been initialized.
 realized: bool = false,
 
+/// See Options.parent
+parent: bool = false,
+
 /// The app we're part of
 app: *App,
 
@@ -150,6 +160,7 @@ pub fn init(self: *Surface, app: *App, opts: Options) !void {
         } else .{ .none = {} },
         .core_surface = undefined,
         .font_size = opts.font_size,
+        .parent = opts.parent,
         .size = .{ .width = 800, .height = 600 },
         .cursor_pos = .{ .x = 0, .y = 0 },
         .im_context = im_context,
@@ -195,6 +206,10 @@ fn realize(self: *Surface) !void {
     // Get our new surface config
     var config = try apprt.surface.newConfig(self.app.core_app, &self.app.config);
     defer config.deinit();
+    if (!self.parent) {
+        // A hack, see the "parent" field for more information.
+        config.@"working-directory" = self.app.config.@"working-directory";
+    }
 
     // Initialize our surface now that we have the stable pointer.
     try self.core_surface.init(
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/Window.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/Window.zig
index 3e87a7d6e..fda4466b0 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/Window.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/Window.zig
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ pub fn newTab(self: *Window, parent_: ?*CoreSurface) !void {
         .gl_area = @ptrCast(gl_area),
         .title_label = @ptrCast(label_text),
         .font_size = font_size,
+        .parent = parent_ != null,
     });
     errdefer surface.deinit();
     const page_idx = c.gtk_notebook_append_page(self.notebook, gl_area, label_box_widget);