From 8b0f33a1abe70266119ad7dd97fda007e86f09f5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Barrett Ruth <62671086+barrettruth@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2026 02:39:53 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] feat(dir): set buffer-local CWD #41174

---
 runtime/doc/plugins.txt             |  4 ++++
 runtime/lua/nvim/dir/fs.lua         | 10 +++++++++-
 test/functional/plugin/dir_spec.lua |  7 ++++++-
 3 files changed, 19 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/runtime/doc/plugins.txt b/runtime/doc/plugins.txt
index eeb9bfd5fa..0d4f05befe 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/plugins.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/plugins.txt
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ The listing is read-only and does not modify the filesystem.
 Opening an entry leaves the |alternate-file| on the buffer you came from, so
 that |CTRL-^| returns to it rather than to the listing.
 
+The listed directory is the buffer's directory (|:bcd|), so entry names resolve
+without a prefix for |gf|, |:!|, and friends.  Being buffer-local it is not
+"sticky": it does not follow you out of the listing.
+
 Directory buffers follow the global 'hidden' option by default. To delete them
 after use: >vim
 	autocmd FileType directory setlocal bufhidden=delete
diff --git a/runtime/lua/nvim/dir/fs.lua b/runtime/lua/nvim/dir/fs.lua
index 6c8eb86c1f..0af9d3229f 100644
--- a/runtime/lua/nvim/dir/fs.lua
+++ b/runtime/lua/nvim/dir/fs.lua
@@ -97,10 +97,18 @@ function M.open_parent(_, path)
 end
 
 ---@param buf integer
-function M.init(buf)
+---@param path string
+function M.init(buf, path)
   if api.nvim_get_option_value('filetype', { buf = buf }) ~= 'directory' then
     api.nvim_set_option_value('filetype', 'directory', { buf = buf })
   end
+  api.nvim_buf_call(buf, function()
+    pcall(api.nvim_cmd, {
+      cmd = 'bcd',
+      args = { path },
+      magic = { file = false, bar = false },
+    })
+  end)
 end
 
 return M
diff --git a/test/functional/plugin/dir_spec.lua b/test/functional/plugin/dir_spec.lua
index 3d5ab7b6e2..bf2787ce78 100644
--- a/test/functional/plugin/dir_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/plugin/dir_spec.lua
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ end
 local function assert_directory(path)
   local ffname = path:sub(-1) == '/' and path or path .. '/'
   eq(ffname, api.nvim_buf_get_name(0))
-  eq(path, vim.fs.normalize(fn.bufname('%')))
+  eq(path, vim.fs.normalize(fn.fnamemodify(fn.bufname('%'), ':p')))
   eq('directory', bufopt('filetype'))
   eq(true, bufopt('buflisted'))
 end
@@ -576,19 +576,24 @@ describe('nvim.dir', function()
   it('navigates entries and refreshes the listing', function()
     make_fixture()
     n.clear({ args = { '--clean' } })
+    local cwd = fn.getcwd()
 
     edit(root)
     assert_directory(root)
+    eq(vim.uv.fs_realpath(root), vim.uv.fs_realpath(fn.getcwd()))
+    eq('alpha.txt', fn.findfile('alpha.txt'))
 
     api.nvim_win_set_cursor(0, { line_of('alpha.txt'), 0 })
     feed('<CR>')
     poke_eventloop()
     eq(file, api.nvim_buf_get_name(0))
     eq({ 'alpha' }, lines())
+    eq(cwd, fn.getcwd())
 
     edit(subdir)
     assert_directory(subdir)
     eq({ '' }, lines())
+    eq(vim.uv.fs_realpath(subdir), vim.uv.fs_realpath(fn.getcwd()))
 
     feed('-')
     poke_eventloop()