diff --git a/csst_common/data_manager.py b/csst_common/data_manager.py
index 11e42ae0b42b5140913684910fe9b983786604a8..3972173a3c4cca4faa4da46d02853aeb74dcc457 100644
--- a/csst_common/data_manager.py
+++ b/csst_common/data_manager.py
@@ -191,6 +191,9 @@ class CsstMsDataManager:
         # aXe
         self.set_env()
 
+        # change to working directory
+        os.chdir(self.dir_l1)
+
     def set_env(self):
         """ set environment variables """
         if os.uname()[1] == "dandelion":