diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filesystem/cd.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filesystem/cd.rs
index 5ebdb60c0..c31b600f2 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filesystem/cd.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filesystem/cd.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-use nu_engine::env::current_dir_str;
 use nu_engine::CallExt;
 use nu_protocol::ast::Call;
 use nu_protocol::engine::{Command, EngineState, Stack};
@@ -32,13 +31,7 @@ impl Command for Cd {
         let path_val: Option<Value> = call.opt(engine_state, stack, 0)?;
 
         let (path, span) = match path_val {
-            Some(v) => {
-                let path = nu_path::canonicalize_with(
-                    v.as_string()?,
-                    current_dir_str(engine_state, stack)?,
-                )?;
-                (path.to_string_lossy().to_string(), v.span()?)
-            }
+            Some(v) => (v.as_string()?, v.span()?),
             None => {
                 let path = nu_path::expand_tilde("~");
                 (path.to_string_lossy().to_string(), call.head)
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filesystem/touch.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filesystem/touch.rs
index 21c6b9b49..ece811c97 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filesystem/touch.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filesystem/touch.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 use std::fs::OpenOptions;
 
-use nu_engine::env::current_dir_str;
 use nu_engine::CallExt;
-use nu_path::expand_path_with;
 use nu_protocol::ast::Call;
 use nu_protocol::engine::{Command, EngineState, Stack};
 use nu_protocol::{Category, PipelineData, ShellError, Signature, SyntaxShape};
@@ -41,8 +39,7 @@ impl Command for Touch {
         let rest: Vec<String> = call.rest(engine_state, stack, 1)?;
 
         for (index, item) in vec![target].into_iter().chain(rest).enumerate() {
-            let path = expand_path_with(&item, current_dir_str(engine_state, stack)?);
-            match OpenOptions::new().write(true).create(true).open(&path) {
+            match OpenOptions::new().write(true).create(true).open(&item) {
                 Ok(_) => continue,
                 Err(err) => {
                     return Err(ShellError::CreateNotPossible(
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/shells/enter.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/shells/enter.rs
index ee6ae7649..4f95da7a0 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/shells/enter.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/shells/enter.rs
@@ -37,9 +37,8 @@ impl Command for Enter {
 
         let cwd = current_dir(engine_state, stack)?;
 
-        if let Ok(s) = new_path.as_string() {
-            let path = nu_path::expand_path_with(s, &cwd);
-            if !path.exists() {
+        if let Ok(s) = new_path.as_path() {
+            if !s.exists() {
                 return Err(ShellError::DirectoryNotFound(new_path.span()?));
             }
         }
diff --git a/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/mod.rs b/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/mod.rs
index 5d75bea00..0b17f766b 100644
--- a/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/mod.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use sys_locale::get_locale;
 pub use unit::*;
 
 use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::{cmp::Ordering, fmt::Debug};
 
 use crate::ast::{CellPath, PathMember};
@@ -173,6 +174,17 @@ impl Value {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn as_path(&self) -> Result<PathBuf, ShellError> {
+        match self {
+            Value::String { val, .. } => Ok(PathBuf::from(val)),
+            x => Err(ShellError::CantConvert(
+                "path".into(),
+                x.get_type().to_string(),
+                self.span()?,
+            )),
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn as_block(&self) -> Result<BlockId, ShellError> {
         match self {
             Value::Block { val, .. } => Ok(*val),
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 722a188b6..1fe2d1f33 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -468,8 +468,11 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
                     }
                     // FIXME: permanent state changes like this hopefully in time can be removed
                     // and be replaced by just passing the cwd in where needed
-                    let cwd = nu_engine::env::current_dir_str(&engine_state, &stack)?;
-                    let _ = std::env::set_current_dir(cwd);
+                    if let Some(cwd) = stack.get_env_var(&engine_state, "PWD") {
+                        let path = cwd.as_string()?;
+                        let _ = std::env::set_current_dir(path);
+                        engine_state.env_vars.insert("PWD".into(), cwd);
+                    }
                 }
                 Ok(Signal::CtrlC) => {
                     // `Reedline` clears the line content. New prompt is shown