diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index f7e54b2c68f..f73699869bc 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ current
 -------
 - *Insert changes/features/fixes for next release here*
 
+tmuxp 1.5.8 (2020-10-31)
+-----------------------
+- :issue: `631` Passes start_directory through to new tmux session
+
 tmuxp 1.5.7 (2020-10-31)
 ------------------------
 - :issue:`637` Support for loading directories with periods in it
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 0f331e75f6f..502c97247eb 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ skip-string-normalization = true
 
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "tmuxp"
-version = "1.5.7post0"
+version = "1.5.8"
 description = "tmux session manager"
 license = "MIT"
 authors = ["Tony Narlock <tony@git-pull.com>"]
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index c59b3b2bd8d..e966a4d849f 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ def test_import_tmuxinator(cli_args, inputs, tmpdir, monkeypatch):
         (['freeze'], ['\n', 'y\n', './exists.yaml\n', './la.yaml\n', 'y\n']),  # Exists
         (  # Create a new one
             ['freeze', 'mysession', '--force'],
-            ['\n', 'y\n', './la.yaml\n', 'y\n']
+            ['\n', 'y\n', './la.yaml\n', 'y\n'],
         ),
         (  # Imply current session if not entered
             ['freeze', '--force'],
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@ def test_freeze(server, cli_args, inputs, tmpdir, monkeypatch):
         ),
         (  # Imply current session if not entered
             ['freeze', '--force'],
-            ['\n', 'y\n', './exists.yaml\n', 'y\n']
+            ['\n', 'y\n', './exists.yaml\n', 'y\n'],
         ),
     ],
 )
diff --git a/tmuxp/__about__.py b/tmuxp/__about__.py
index 24dc6167620..78db138f8f1 100644
--- a/tmuxp/__about__.py
+++ b/tmuxp/__about__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 __title__ = 'tmuxp'
 __package_name__ = 'tmuxp'
-__version__ = '1.5.7post0'
+__version__ = '1.5.8'
 __description__ = 'tmux session manager'
 __email__ = 'tony@git-pull.com'
 __author__ = 'Tony Narlock'
diff --git a/tmuxp/workspacebuilder.py b/tmuxp/workspacebuilder.py
index 2cb36492609..d24164f5f9e 100644
--- a/tmuxp/workspacebuilder.py
+++ b/tmuxp/workspacebuilder.py
@@ -137,9 +137,15 @@ def build(self, session=None):
                     'Session name %s is already running.' % self.sconf['session_name']
                 )
             else:
-                session = self.server.new_session(
-                    session_name=self.sconf['session_name']
-                )
+                if 'start_directory' in self.sconf:
+                    session = self.server.new_session(
+                        session_name=self.sconf['session_name'],
+                        start_directory=self.sconf['start_directory'],
+                    )
+                else:
+                    session = self.server.new_session(
+                        session_name=self.sconf['session_name']
+                    )
 
             assert self.sconf['session_name'] == session.name
             assert len(self.sconf['session_name']) > 0