diff --git a/csst_common/data_manager.py b/csst_common/data_manager.py
index 85c7c05e6a04b5ac27fdbece1d23392d2c3ee821..38187d6dcfe2d13c202cd2c3ec4ab7b333779cb6 100644
--- a/csst_common/data_manager.py
+++ b/csst_common/data_manager.py
@@ -584,6 +584,7 @@ class CsstMsDataManager:
             dfs_root = "/dfsroot"
 
         # (clear and) make directories
+        os.chdir(os.getenv("HOME"))  # in case cwd is in dir_l0 or dir_l1
         if os.path.exists(dir_l0):
             os.system(f"rm -rf {dir_l0}")
         if os.path.exists(dir_l1):