diff --git a/debugger/pdblauncher.cpp b/debugger/pdblauncher.cpp
index c4ae9282..7536b9a9 100644
--- a/debugger/pdblauncher.cpp
+++ b/debugger/pdblauncher.cpp
@@ -1,124 +1,131 @@
 /*
     This file is part of kdev-python, the python language plugin for KDevelop
     Copyright (C) 2012  Sven Brauch <svenbrauch@googlemail.com>
 
     This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
     it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
     the Free Software Foundation, either version 2 of the License, or
     (at your option) any later version.
 
     This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
     but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
     MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
     GNU General Public License for more details.
 
     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
     along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 */
 
 
 #include "pdblauncher.h"
 #include <interfaces/idocumentcontroller.h>
 #include "debugjob.h"
 
 #include <util/executecompositejob.h>
 #include <executescript/iexecutescriptplugin.h>
 #include <interfaces/launchconfigurationpage.h>
 #include <interfaces/ilaunchconfiguration.h>
 #include <interfaces/iplugincontroller.h>
 #include <interfaces/iruncontroller.h>
 #include <interfaces/icore.h>
 #include <interfaces/iuicontroller.h>
 
 #include <KLocalizedString>
 #include <KMessageBox>
 #include <KParts/MainWindow>
 #include <KConfigGroup>
+#include <QFileInfo>
 
 #include <QDebug>
 #include "debuggerdebug.h"
 
 
 namespace Python {
     
 PdbLauncher::PdbLauncher()
 {
 
 }
 
 QList< KDevelop::LaunchConfigurationPageFactory* > PdbLauncher::configPages() const
 {
     return QList<KDevelop::LaunchConfigurationPageFactory*>();
 }
 
 QString PdbLauncher::description() const
 {
     return i18n("A plugin to debug Python applications with pdb.");
 }
 
 QString PdbLauncher::id()
 {
     return "pdbdebugger";
 }
 
 QString PdbLauncher::name() const
 {
     return "pdbdebugger";
 }
 
 KJob* PdbLauncher::start(const QString& launchMode, KDevelop::ILaunchConfiguration* cfg)
 {
     qCDebug(KDEV_PYTHON_DEBUGGER) << "start of debugger process requested";
     if ( launchMode == "debug" ) {
         IExecuteScriptPlugin* iface = KDevelop::ICore::self()->pluginController()
                                       ->pluginForExtension("org.kdevelop.IExecuteScriptPlugin")->extension<IExecuteScriptPlugin>();
         Q_ASSERT(iface);
         QString err;
         QString interpreter = iface->interpreter(cfg, err);
         
         // check the interpreter
         QProcess p;
         p.setReadChannelMode(QProcess::MergedChannels);
         p.start(interpreter, QStringList() << "--version");
         p.waitForFinished(500);
         QByteArray version = p.readAll();
         qCDebug(KDEV_PYTHON_DEBUGGER) << "interpreter version:" << version;
         if ( ! version.startsWith("Python 3.") ) {
             KMessageBox::error(ICore::self()->uiController()->activeMainWindow(),
                             i18n("Sorry, debugging is only supported for Python 3.x applications."),
                             i18n("Unsupported interpreter"));
             return nullptr;
         }
 
         QUrl scriptUrl;
         if ( iface->runCurrentFile(cfg) ) {
             auto document = KDevelop::ICore::self()->documentController()->activeDocument();
             if ( ! document ) {
                 qCDebug(KDEV_PYTHON_DEBUGGER) << "no current document";
                 return nullptr;
             }
             scriptUrl = document->url();
         }
         else {
             scriptUrl = iface->script(cfg, err);
         }
 
+        auto wd = iface->workingDirectory(cfg);
+        if( !wd.isValid() || wd.isEmpty() )
+        {
+            wd = QUrl::fromLocalFile( QFileInfo( scriptUrl.toLocalFile() ).absolutePath() );
+        }
+
         DebugJob* job = new DebugJob();
         job->m_scriptUrl = scriptUrl;
         job->m_interpreter = interpreter;
         job->m_args = iface->arguments(cfg, err);
-        job->m_workingDirectory = iface->workingDirectory(cfg);
+        job->m_workingDirectory = wd;
         QList<KJob*> l;
         l << job;
         return new KDevelop::ExecuteCompositeJob( KDevelop::ICore::self()->runController(), l );
     }
     qCDebug(KDEV_PYTHON_DEBUGGER) << "unknown launch mode";
     return nullptr;
 }
 
 QStringList PdbLauncher::supportedModes() const
 {
     return QStringList() << "debug";
 }
 
 }