diff --git a/src/pty/ptyc_spawn.c b/src/pty/ptyc_spawn.c
index 94e56b3..f4f026b 100644
--- a/src/pty/ptyc_spawn.c
+++ b/src/pty/ptyc_spawn.c
@@ -54,8 +54,10 @@ int __stdcall ptyc_spawn(struct ptyc_driver_ctx * dctx)
 		(uintptr_t *)&self->cid_self,
 		sizeof(nt_cid));
 
-	rtctx.hroot = dctx->cctx->hroot;
 	rtctx.hcwd  = self->hcwd;
+	rtctx.hroot = dctx->cctx->hroot
+			? dctx->cctx->hroot
+			: self->hroot;
 
 	rtctx.srv_keys[0] = self->srv_keys[0];
 	rtctx.srv_keys[1] = self->srv_keys[1];