diff --git a/src/emacs/lean-server.el b/src/emacs/lean-server.el
index b27b3bc508..482574544c 100644
--- a/src/emacs/lean-server.el
+++ b/src/emacs/lean-server.el
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 (require 'json)
 (require 'tq)
 (require 'lean-debug)
+(require 'lean-project)
 
 (defvar-local lean-server-process nil
   "Lean server process for the current buffer")
@@ -25,9 +26,10 @@
   (when (or (not lean-server-process)
             (not (equal (process-status lean-server-process) 'run)))
     (setq lean-server-process
-          (start-file-process "lean-server"
-                              (format "*lean-server (%s)*" (buffer-name))
-                              "lean" "--server"))
+          (let* ((default-directory (or (lean-project-find-root) default-directory)))
+            (start-file-process "lean-server"
+                                (format "*lean-server (%s)*" (buffer-name))
+                                "lean" "--server")))
     (set-process-query-on-exit-flag lean-server-process nil)
     (setq lean-server-handler-tq (tq-create lean-server-process))))
 
diff --git a/src/shell/lean.cpp b/src/shell/lean.cpp
index a44abd6eed..adecb98a43 100644
--- a/src/shell/lean.cpp
+++ b/src/shell/lean.cpp
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv) {
     }
 
     if (server) {
-        lean::server(base_dir, num_threads, env, ios).run();
+        lean::server(num_threads, env, ios).run();
         return 0;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/shell/server.cpp b/src/shell/server.cpp
index e29e858fa8..d27789eae1 100644
--- a/src/shell/server.cpp
+++ b/src/shell/server.cpp
@@ -16,9 +16,8 @@ public:
     void report(message const &) override {}
 };
 
-server::server(optional<std::string> const & base_dir, int num_threads, environment const & initial_env, io_state const & ios) :
-        m_base_dir(base_dir), m_num_threads(num_threads),
-        m_initial_env(initial_env), m_ios(ios) {
+server::server(unsigned num_threads, environment const & initial_env, io_state const & ios) :
+        m_num_threads(num_threads), m_initial_env(initial_env), m_ios(ios) {
     m_ios.set_regular_channel(std::make_shared<stderr_channel>());
     m_ios.set_diagnostic_channel(std::make_shared<stderr_channel>());
     m_ios.set_message_channel(std::make_shared<null_message_stream>());
@@ -120,8 +119,9 @@ json server::handle_check(json const &) {
 
         std::istringstream in(m_content);
         bool use_exceptions = false;
+        optional<std::string> base_dir;
         parser p(m_initial_env, m_ios, in, m_file_name.c_str(),
-                 m_base_dir, use_exceptions, m_num_threads,
+                 base_dir, use_exceptions, m_num_threads,
                  new_snapshots.empty() ? nullptr : &new_snapshots.back(),
                  &new_snapshots);
         // TODO(gabriel): definition caches?
diff --git a/src/shell/server.h b/src/shell/server.h
index 4cf14e8a54..c7ff5c0bb6 100644
--- a/src/shell/server.h
+++ b/src/shell/server.h
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ Author: Gabriel Ebner
 namespace lean {
 
 class server {
-    optional<std::string> m_base_dir;
     unsigned m_num_threads;
     options m_opts;
     environment m_initial_env;
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ class server {
     json handle_check(json const & req);
 
 public:
-    server(optional<std::string> const & base_dir, int num_threads, environment const & intial_env, io_state const & ios);
+    server(unsigned num_threads, environment const & intial_env, io_state const & ios);
     ~server();
 
     void run();