diff --git a/cake/console/cake.php b/cake/console/cake.php
index 2ec8a62ab..e49611aec 100644
--- a/cake/console/cake.php
+++ b/cake/console/cake.php
@@ -434,8 +434,8 @@ class ShellDispatcher {
 			if ($this->params['app']{0} == '/') {
 				$root = dirname($this->params['app']);
 				$app = basename($this->params['app']);
-			} else {
-				$root = realpath($root . DS . $app);
+			} else if (!empty($this->params['working'])) {
+				$root = realpath($this->params['working']);
  			}
 			$app = $this->params['app'];
 			unset($this->params['app']);