diff --git a/src/Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost/host/msh/ConsoleHost.cs b/src/Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost/host/msh/ConsoleHost.cs
index 07f7dba601c..091ccb76afa 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost/host/msh/ConsoleHost.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost/host/msh/ConsoleHost.cs
@@ -1614,6 +1614,31 @@ private void DoRunspaceInitialization(bool skipProfiles, string initialCommand,
 
             Executor exec = new Executor(this, false, false);
 
+            // If working directory was specified, set it
+            if (s_cpp != null && s_cpp.WorkingDirectory != null)
+            {
+                Pipeline tempPipeline = exec.CreatePipeline();
+                var command = new Command("Set-Location");
+                command.Parameters.Add("LiteralPath", s_cpp.WorkingDirectory);
+                tempPipeline.Commands.Add(command);
+
+                Exception exception;
+                if (IsRunningAsync)
+                {
+                    exec.ExecuteCommandAsyncHelper(tempPipeline, out exception, Executor.ExecutionOptions.AddOutputter);
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    exec.ExecuteCommandHelper(tempPipeline, out exception, Executor.ExecutionOptions.AddOutputter);
+                }
+
+                if (exception != null)
+                {
+                    _lastRunspaceInitializationException = exception;
+                    ReportException(exception, exec);
+                }
+            }
+
             if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(configurationName))
             {
                 // If an endpoint configuration is specified then create a loop-back remote runspace targeting
@@ -1694,31 +1719,6 @@ private void DoRunspaceInitialization(bool skipProfiles, string initialCommand,
             TelemetryAPI.ReportStartupTelemetry(this);
 #endif
 
-            // If working directory was specified, set it
-            if (s_cpp != null && s_cpp.WorkingDirectory != null)
-            {
-                Pipeline tempPipeline = exec.CreatePipeline();
-                var command = new Command("Set-Location");
-                command.Parameters.Add("LiteralPath", s_cpp.WorkingDirectory);
-                tempPipeline.Commands.Add(command);
-
-                Exception exception;
-                if (IsRunningAsync)
-                {
-                    exec.ExecuteCommandAsyncHelper(tempPipeline, out exception, Executor.ExecutionOptions.AddOutputter);
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    exec.ExecuteCommandHelper(tempPipeline, out exception, Executor.ExecutionOptions.AddOutputter);
-                }
-
-                if (exception != null)
-                {
-                    _lastRunspaceInitializationException = exception;
-                    ReportException(exception, exec);
-                }
-            }
-
             // If a file was specified as the argument to run, then run it...
             if (s_cpp != null && s_cpp.File != null)
             {
diff --git a/test/powershell/Host/ConsoleHost.Tests.ps1 b/test/powershell/Host/ConsoleHost.Tests.ps1
index 7120283af15..4599f416122 100644
--- a/test/powershell/Host/ConsoleHost.Tests.ps1
+++ b/test/powershell/Host/ConsoleHost.Tests.ps1
@@ -567,6 +567,25 @@ foo
             $LASTEXITCODE | Should -Be $ExitCodeBadCommandLineParameter
             $output | Should -Not -BeNullOrEmpty
         }
+
+        It "-WorkingDirectory should be processed before profiles" {
+
+            $currentProfile = Get-Content $PROFILE
+            @"
+                (Get-Location).Path
+                Set-Location $testdrive
+"@ > $PROFILE
+
+            try {
+                $out = pwsh -workingdirectory ~ -c '(Get-Location).Path'
+                $out | Should -HaveCount 2
+                $out[0] | Should -BeExactly (Get-Item ~).FullName
+                $out[1] | Should -BeExactly "$testdrive"
+            }
+            finally {
+                Set-Content $PROFILE -Value $currentProfile
+            }
+        }
     }
 }