diff --git a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/StatefulSFTPClient.java b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/StatefulSFTPClient.java
index dd4c9c14..fdc9b69d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/StatefulSFTPClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/StatefulSFTPClient.java
@@ -40,10 +40,11 @@ public class StatefulSFTPClient
 
     public synchronized void cd(String dirname)
             throws IOException {
-        cwd = cwdify(dirname);
+        final String targetCwd = cwdify(dirname);
         if (statExistence(cwd) == null) {
             throw new SFTPException(cwd + ": does not exist");
         }
+        cwd = targetCwd;
         log.debug("CWD = {}", cwd);
     }