diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 4da5577..d16e8d7 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 FROM mcr.microsoft.com/devcontainers/php:8.3
 
+# The php base image sets WORKDIR to /var/www/html, which devcontainer_on_create.sh
+# later deletes and replaces with a symlink to the mounted docroot. The devcontainer
+# CLI starts its persistent setup shell ("shellServer") in WORKDIR with no -w flag, so
+# that deletion orphans the shell's cwd and the subsequent dotfiles `git clone` fails
+# with "Unable to read current working directory" (issue #45). Anchor WORKDIR to a
+# stable directory that the lifecycle scripts never delete.
+WORKDIR /home/vscode
+
 # Change default umask and add user to web group so we can share write permission on web files
 # Configure pam_umask to set umask to 002 (works regardless of /etc/login.defs content)
 RUN sed -i 's/pam_umask\.so/pam_umask.so umask=002/' /etc/pam.d/common-session \
diff --git a/local/etc/uceap.d/devcontainer_on_create.sh b/local/etc/uceap.d/devcontainer_on_create.sh
index afa5f3c..8d0ae42 100644
--- a/local/etc/uceap.d/devcontainer_on_create.sh
+++ b/local/etc/uceap.d/devcontainer_on_create.sh
@@ -93,9 +93,6 @@ function devcontainer_on_create() {
   if [ -x .devcontainer/onCreate.sh ]; then
     .devcontainer/onCreate.sh
   fi
-
-  # Leave the shellServer with a valid cwd for any subsequent step (see issue #45)
-  cd "$WORKSPACE_FOLDER"
 }
 
 _devcontainer_on_create_desc='runs when the devcontainer is created'
diff --git a/local/etc/uceap.d/devcontainer_post_create.sh b/local/etc/uceap.d/devcontainer_post_create.sh
index 9090845..f8bba7c 100644
--- a/local/etc/uceap.d/devcontainer_post_create.sh
+++ b/local/etc/uceap.d/devcontainer_post_create.sh
@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@ function devcontainer_post_create() {
 	if [ -x .devcontainer/postCreate.sh ]; then
 		.devcontainer/postCreate.sh
 	fi
-
-	# Leave the shellServer with a valid cwd for any subsequent step (see issue #45)
-	cd "$WORKSPACE_FOLDER"
 }
 
 _devcontainer_post_create_desc='runs after the devcontainer is created'