diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e6863dd..c275716 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ repos:
     hooks:
       - id: packer_fmt
       - id: packer_validate
+        args: [--no-cd] # Optionally disable changing working directory
 ```
 
 ## Contributing ##
diff --git a/hooks/packer_validate.sh b/hooks/packer_validate.sh
index e64dba9..17b7a0f 100755
--- a/hooks/packer_validate.sh
+++ b/hooks/packer_validate.sh
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ set -o pipefail
 function packer_validate() {
   local exit_code=0
 
-  packer init . > /dev/null
+  packer init "$1" > /dev/null
 
   # Allow us to get output if the validation fails
   set +o errexit
-  validate_output=$(packer validate "${ARGS[@]}" . 2>&1)
+  validate_output=$(packer validate "${ARGS[@]}" "$1" 2>&1)
   exit_code=$?
   set -o errexit
 
@@ -42,8 +42,12 @@ pids=()
 for path in "${UNIQUE_PATHS[@]}"; do
   # Check each path in parallel
   {
-    pushd "$path" > /dev/null
-    packer_validate
+    if [[ $NO_CD -eq 1 ]]; then
+      packer_validate "$path"
+    else
+      pushd "$path" > /dev/null
+      packer_validate .
+    fi
   } &
   pids+=("$!")
 done
diff --git a/lib/util.sh b/lib/util.sh
index d0ad9aa..015180a 100755
--- a/lib/util.sh
+++ b/lib/util.sh
@@ -9,14 +9,20 @@ set -o pipefail
 # Globals:
 #   ARGS
 #   FILES
+#   NO_CD
 #######################################
 function util::parse_cmdline() {
   # Global variable arrays
   ARGS=()
   FILES=()
+  export NO_CD=0
 
   while (("$#")); do
     case "$1" in
+      --no-cd)
+        NO_CD=1
+        shift
+        ;;
       -*)
         if [ -f "$1" ]; then
           FILES+=("$1")