lsp--start-workspace sets default-directory without trailing slash #4997
Description
Thank you for the bug report
- I am using the latest version of
lsp-moderelated packages. - I checked FAQ and Troubleshooting sections
- You may also try reproduce the issue using clean environment using the following command:
M-x lsp-start-plain
Bug description
The title explains the behavior, but it might not be obvious why that behavior is bad. It's just a minor annoyance -- I was irked when I noticed some of my buffers had a "default-directory" value that didn't end in a slash, and the docstring (and relevant Info node) say that it ends with a slash.
Steps to reproduce
This shell script gets you 95% of the way there; there are some simple steps at the end:
#!/bin/bash
set -e
# Install emacs, npm (for pyright), and git
apt-get update
apt-get install -y emacs-nox npm git
set -x
git config --global user.email "eric.hanchrow@gmail.com"
git config --global user.name "Eric Hanchrow"
# Install pyright globally
npm install -g pyright
# Create a minimal git repo with a Python file
rm -rf /tmp/test-project
mkdir -p /tmp/test-project
cd /tmp/test-project
git init
cat > hello.py << 'PYEOF'
def greet(name: str) -> str:
return f"Hello, {name}"
print(greet("world"))
PYEOF
git add hello.py
git commit -m "initial"
# Create a minimal emacs init that only loads lsp-mode from MELPA
mkdir -p /tmp/repro-emacs
cat > /tmp/repro-emacs/init.el << 'ELEOF'
(require 'package)
(add-to-list 'package-archives '("melpa" . "https://melpa.org/packages/") t)
(package-initialize)
(package-refresh-contents)
(package-install 'lsp-pyright)
(require 'lsp-mode)
(add-hook 'python-mode-hook #'lsp-deferred)
;; After lsp starts, check default-directory in all buffers
(defun check-default-directories ()
"Show default-directory for all buffers."
(interactive)
(with-current-buffer (get-buffer-create "*dir-check*")
(erase-buffer)
(dolist (b (buffer-list))
(let ((dd (buffer-local-value 'default-directory b)))
(insert (format "%-40s %s%s\n"
(buffer-name b)
dd
(if (and dd (not (string-suffix-p "/" dd)))
" <-- MISSING SLASH"
"")))))
(display-buffer (current-buffer))))
(global-set-key (kbd "C-c d") #'check-default-directories)
ELEOF
echo ""
echo "===== Setup complete ====="
echo ""
echo "Now run:"
echo " emacs -Q -l /tmp/repro-emacs/init.el /tmp/test-project/hello.py"
echo ""
echo "Wait for lsp-mode to start (watch the modeline), then press C-c d"
echo "to see which buffers have default-directory without a trailing slash."
When I followed the steps, I indeed saw
File Edit Options Buffers Tools Python Flymake Help
> hello.py > greet
def greet(name: str) -> str:
return f"Hello, {name}"
print(greet("world"))
-UU-:%%- F1 hello.py All L2 (Python Flymake[0 0] LSP[pyright:9505] ElDoc) -------------------------------------
*tar-data *temp*-97078* ~/.emacs.d/elpa/
repro-emacs /tmp/repro-emacs/
*lsp-log* /tmp/test-project/
*pyright::stderr* /tmp/test-project <-- MISSING SLASH
*pyright* /tmp/test-project <-- MISSING SLASH
*Flymake log* /tmp/test-project/
*dir-check* /tmp/test-project/
Expected behavior
all buffers should have a "default-directory" variable whose last character is a slash.
Which Language Server did you use?
lsp-python with pyright
OS
Linux
Error callstack
Anything else?
The fix is a one-liner, although I'll be happy to make a pull request if that's how you guys roll:
From 6a974390690e2d7ef1823b1272f20e4d29a37d83 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Eric Hanchrow <eric.hanchrow@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2026 09:46:48 -0800
Subject: [PATCH] lsp--start-workspace: ensure default-directory ends with a
slash.
---
lsp-mode.el | 2 +-
1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
diff --git a/lsp-mode.el b/lsp-mode.el
index 48a4184188..56a181b795 100644
--- a/lsp-mode.el
+++ b/lsp-mode.el
@@ -8064,7 +8064,7 @@ should return the command to start the LS server."
INITIALIZATION-OPTIONS are passed to initialize function.
SESSION is the active session."
(lsp--spinner-start)
- (-let* ((default-directory root)
+ (-let* ((default-directory (file-name-as-directory root))
(client (copy-lsp--client client-template))
(workspace (make-lsp--workspace
:root root
--
2.50.1 (Apple Git-155)