diff --git a/nfq/helpers.c b/nfq/helpers.c
index 274dfb3..aba018c 100644
--- a/nfq/helpers.c
+++ b/nfq/helpers.c
@@ -367,14 +367,14 @@ void fill_random_az09(uint8_t *p,size_t sz)
 	}
 }
 
-bool cd_to_exe_dir(const char *argv0)
+bool set_env_exedir(const char *argv0)
 {
 	char *s,*d;
 	bool bOK=false;
 	if ((s = strdup(argv0)))
 	{
 		if ((d = dirname(s)))
-			bOK = !chdir(d);
+			setenv("EXEDIR",s,1);
 		free(s);
 	}
 	return bOK;
diff --git a/nfq/helpers.h b/nfq/helpers.h
index c011ad3..756bab6 100644
--- a/nfq/helpers.h
+++ b/nfq/helpers.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ void fill_random_bytes(uint8_t *p,size_t sz);
 void fill_random_az(uint8_t *p,size_t sz);
 void fill_random_az09(uint8_t *p,size_t sz);
 
-bool cd_to_exe_dir(const char *argv0);
+bool set_env_exedir(const char *argv0);
 
 
 struct cidr4
diff --git a/nfq/nfqws.c b/nfq/nfqws.c
index 6d6eaf5..5346aa5 100644
--- a/nfq/nfqws.c
+++ b/nfq/nfqws.c
@@ -1122,6 +1122,8 @@ void config_from_file(const char *filename)
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
+	set_env_exedir(argv[0]);
+
 #ifdef __CYGWIN__
 	if (service_run(argc, argv))
 	{
diff --git a/tpws/helpers.c b/tpws/helpers.c
index 27425e4..94cff17 100644
--- a/tpws/helpers.c
+++ b/tpws/helpers.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <ifaddrs.h>
 #include <time.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <libgen.h>
 
 #include "helpers.h"
 
@@ -349,6 +350,20 @@ bool pf_is_empty(const port_filter *pf)
 }
 
 
+bool set_env_exedir(const char *argv0)
+{
+	char *s,*d;
+	bool bOK=false;
+	if ((s = strdup(argv0)))
+	{
+		if ((d = dirname(s)))
+			setenv("EXEDIR",s,1);
+		free(s);
+	}
+	return bOK;
+}
+
+
 static void mask_from_preflen6_make(uint8_t plen, struct in6_addr *a)
 {
 	if (plen >= 128)
diff --git a/tpws/helpers.h b/tpws/helpers.h
index e1bb919..ed84f5b 100644
--- a/tpws/helpers.h
+++ b/tpws/helpers.h
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ bool pf_in_range(uint16_t port, const port_filter *pf);
 bool pf_parse(const char *s, port_filter *pf);
 bool pf_is_empty(const port_filter *pf);
 
+bool set_env_exedir(const char *argv0);
+
 #ifndef IN_LOOPBACK
 #define IN_LOOPBACK(a)          ((((uint32_t) (a)) & 0xff000000) == 0x7f000000)
 #endif
diff --git a/tpws/tpws.c b/tpws/tpws.c
index 9c9b342..8136da3 100644
--- a/tpws/tpws.c
+++ b/tpws/tpws.c
@@ -1447,6 +1447,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	struct salisten_s list[MAX_BINDS];
 	char ip_port[48];
 
+	set_env_exedir(argv[0]);
 	srand(time(NULL));
 	mask_from_preflen6_prepare();