diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index a35fecb..e304780 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 use std::env;
 use std::error::Error;
+use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 use env_logger::Builder as LoggerBuilder;
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub enum CliAction {
-    Run { log_level: Option<String> },
+    Run {
+        log_level: Option<String>,
+        workdir: Option<PathBuf>,
+    },
     Help,
     Version,
 }
@@ -15,6 +19,7 @@ where
     I: Iterator<Item = String>,
 {
     let mut log_level = None;
+    let mut workdir = None;
     let mut iter = args.peekable();
 
     while let Some(arg) = iter.next() {
@@ -29,6 +34,16 @@ where
                         .next()
                         .ok_or_else(|| "--log-level requires a value".to_string())?;
                     log_level = Some(value);
+                } else if let Some(path) = arg.strip_prefix("--workdir=") {
+                    if path.is_empty() {
+                        return Err("--workdir requires a value".to_string());
+                    }
+                    workdir = Some(PathBuf::from(path));
+                } else if arg == "--workdir" {
+                    let value = iter
+                        .next()
+                        .ok_or_else(|| "--workdir requires a value".to_string())?;
+                    workdir = Some(PathBuf::from(value));
                 } else {
                     return Err(format!("Unknown argument: {arg}"));
                 }
@@ -36,11 +51,11 @@ where
         }
     }
 
-    Ok(CliAction::Run { log_level })
+    Ok(CliAction::Run { log_level, workdir })
 }
 
 pub fn print_usage() {
-    println!("Usage: codex-tools-mcp [OPTIONS]\n\nOptions:\n  --log-level <level>   Override default log level (info)\n  -V, --version         Print version information\n  -h, --help            Print this help message");
+    println!("Usage: codex-tools-mcp [OPTIONS]\n\nOptions:\n  --log-level <level>   Override default log level (info)\n  --workdir <path>      Set process working directory before serving\n  -V, --version         Print version information\n  -h, --help            Print this help message");
 }
 
 pub fn init_logging(log_level: Option<String>) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 5aae337..dc36412 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ mod tools;
 use cli::{init_logging, parse_cli, print_usage, CliAction};
 use std::env;
 use std::error::Error;
+use std::io;
 use std::process;
 
 fn main() {
@@ -26,7 +27,18 @@ fn try_main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
             println!("{}", cli::version_string());
             Ok(())
         }
-        CliAction::Run { log_level } => {
+        CliAction::Run { log_level, workdir } => {
+            if let Some(workdir) = workdir {
+                env::set_current_dir(&workdir).map_err(|err| {
+                    io::Error::new(
+                        io::ErrorKind::InvalidInput,
+                        format!(
+                            "Failed to set working directory to {}: {err}",
+                            workdir.display()
+                        ),
+                    )
+                })?;
+            }
             init_logging(log_level)?;
             server::run_server()?;
             Ok(())
diff --git a/tests/integration.rs b/tests/integration.rs
index 38334d6..a12a77c 100644
--- a/tests/integration.rs
+++ b/tests/integration.rs
@@ -54,3 +54,47 @@ fn applies_patch_and_creates_file() {
     let contents = std::fs::read_to_string(&hello_path).expect("hello.txt created");
     assert_eq!(contents.trim(), "hello world!");
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn applies_patch_in_explicit_workdir() {
+    let launch_dir = tempdir().expect("create launch temp dir");
+    let work_dir = tempdir().expect("create work temp dir");
+
+    let mut cmd = Command::cargo_bin("codex-tools-mcp").expect("binary exists");
+    cmd.arg("--log-level").arg("error");
+    cmd.arg("--workdir").arg(work_dir.path());
+    cmd.current_dir(launch_dir.path());
+
+    let input = r#"{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"initialize","params":{"protocolVersion":"2025-06-18","clientInfo":{"name":"test","version":"0"},"capabilities":{}}}
+{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":2,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"apply_patch","arguments":{"input":"*** Begin Patch\n*** Add File: hello.txt\n+hello workdir!\n*** End Patch\n"}}}
+"#;
+    let mut child = cmd
+        .stdin(std::process::Stdio::piped())
+        .stdout(std::process::Stdio::piped())
+        .stderr(std::process::Stdio::piped())
+        .spawn()
+        .expect("spawn server");
+
+    if let Some(stdin) = child.stdin.as_mut() {
+        use std::io::Write;
+        let _ = stdin.write_all(input.as_bytes());
+    }
+
+    let output = child.wait_with_output().expect("collect output");
+    assert!(
+        output.status.success(),
+        "process exited with failure.\nstdout:\n{}\nstderr:\n{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout),
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+    );
+
+    let hello_path = work_dir.path().join("hello.txt");
+    let contents = std::fs::read_to_string(&hello_path).expect("hello.txt created in --workdir");
+    assert_eq!(contents.trim(), "hello workdir!");
+
+    let wrong_path = launch_dir.path().join("hello.txt");
+    assert!(
+        !wrong_path.exists(),
+        "hello.txt should not be created in process cwd"
+    );
+}