diff --git a/source/dub/package_.d b/source/dub/package_.d
index bb3eddd..02de67b 100644
--- a/source/dub/package_.d
+++ b/source/dub/package_.d
@@ -646,7 +646,6 @@
 				case "targetPath":
 					enforce(suffix.empty, "targetPath does not support platform customization.");
 					this.targetPath = value.get!string;
-					if (this.workingDirectory is null) this.workingDirectory = this.targetPath;
 					break;
 				case "targetName":
 					enforce(suffix.empty, "targetName does not support platform customization.");
diff --git a/source/dub/project.d b/source/dub/project.d
index 4e3d938..54a7db7 100644
--- a/source/dub/project.d
+++ b/source/dub/project.d
@@ -469,7 +469,8 @@
 				dst.targetType = psettings.targetType;
 				dst.targetPath = psettings.targetPath;
 				dst.targetName = psettings.targetName;
-				dst.workingDirectory = processVars(psettings.workingDirectory, pkg_path, true);
+				if (!psettings.workingDirectory.empty)
+					dst.workingDirectory = processVars(psettings.workingDirectory, pkg_path, true);
 				if (psettings.mainSourceFile.length)
 					dst.mainSourceFile = processVars(psettings.mainSourceFile, pkg_path, true);
 			}
@@ -693,7 +694,8 @@
 		dst.targetType = settings.targetType;
 		dst.targetPath = processVars(settings.targetPath, project_path, true);
 		dst.targetName = settings.targetName;
-		dst.workingDirectory = processVars(settings.workingDirectory, project_path, true);
+		if (!settings.workingDirectory.empty)
+			dst.workingDirectory = processVars(settings.workingDirectory, project_path, true);
 		if (settings.mainSourceFile.length)
 			dst.mainSourceFile = processVars(settings.mainSourceFile, project_path, true);
 	}