diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/util.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/util.rs
index 031413a0b6..a79187d70c 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/util.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/util.rs
@@ -220,10 +220,7 @@ pub fn eval_source(
         }
     };
 
-    if let Err(err) = engine_state.merge_delta(delta, Some(stack), &cwd) {
-        let working_set = StateWorkingSet::new(engine_state);
-        report_error(&working_set, &err);
-    }
+    let _ = engine_state.merge_delta(delta, Some(stack), &cwd);
 
     match eval_block(engine_state, stack, &block, input, false, false) {
         Ok(mut pipeline_data) => {
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs
index bbce0d9f42..1decd69243 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader, Write};
-use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::process::{Command as CommandSys, Stdio};
 use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
 use std::sync::mpsc;
@@ -339,7 +339,10 @@ impl ExternalCommand {
                 self.create_command(d)?
             };
 
-            process.current_dir(d);
+            // do not try to set current directory if cwd does not exist
+            if Path::new(&d).exists() {
+                process.current_dir(d);
+            }
             process
         } else {
             return Err(ShellError::GenericError(