diff --git a/pkg/fsutil/BUILD b/pkg/fsutil/BUILD
index f3ab1ba90..ee85a1c58 100644
--- a/pkg/fsutil/BUILD
+++ b/pkg/fsutil/BUILD
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ licenses(["notice"])
 go_library(
     name = "fsutil",
     srcs = [
-        "chdir.go",
         "fsutil.go",
         "fsutil_amd64_unsafe.go",
         "fsutil_arm64_unsafe.go",
@@ -13,7 +12,6 @@ go_library(
     ],
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
     deps = [
-        "//pkg/sync",
         "//pkg/syserr",
         "@org_golang_x_sys//unix:go_default_library",
     ],
diff --git a/pkg/sentry/fsimpl/gofer/BUILD b/pkg/sentry/fsimpl/gofer/BUILD
index 102df1aea..d3df59a97 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/fsimpl/gofer/BUILD
+++ b/pkg/sentry/fsimpl/gofer/BUILD
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ go_library(
         "//pkg/sentry/fsimpl/lock",
         "//pkg/sentry/fsmetric",
         "//pkg/sentry/fsutil",
+        "//pkg/sentry/fsutil/chdir",
         "//pkg/sentry/hostfd",
         "//pkg/sentry/kernel",
         "//pkg/sentry/kernel/auth",
diff --git a/pkg/sentry/fsimpl/gofer/directfs_dentry.go b/pkg/sentry/fsimpl/gofer/directfs_dentry.go
index 1b802a778..74e910a27 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/fsimpl/gofer/directfs_dentry.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/fsimpl/gofer/directfs_dentry.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/fsutil"
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/lisafs"
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/log"
+	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/sentry/fsutil/chdir"
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/sentry/kernel/auth"
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/sentry/socket/unix/transport"
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/sentry/vfs"
@@ -490,7 +491,7 @@ func (d *directfsDentry) bindAt(ctx context.Context, name string, creds *auth.Cr
 	// There are no filesystems mounted in the sandbox process's mount namespace.
 	// So we can't perform absolute path traversals. So fchdir(2) to this
 	// directory and bind at name (relative path traversal).
-	if err := fsutil.DoInDir(d.controlFD, func() error {
+	if err := chdir.DoInDir(d.controlFD, func() error {
 		return unix.Bind(sockFD, &unix.SockaddrUnix{Name: name})
 	}); err != nil {
 		hbep.ResetBoundSocketFD(ctx)
@@ -617,7 +618,7 @@ func (d *directfsDentry) connect(ctx context.Context, sockType linux.SockType) (
 	// There are no filesystems mounted in the sandbox process's mount namespace.
 	// So we can't perform absolute path traversals. So fchdir(2) to parent
 	// and connect to this socket at name (relative path traversal).
-	if err := fsutil.DoInDir(d.parent.impl.(*directfsDentry).controlFD, func() error {
+	if err := chdir.DoInDir(d.parent.impl.(*directfsDentry).controlFD, func() error {
 		return unix.Connect(sock, &unix.SockaddrUnix{Name: d.name})
 	}); err != nil {
 		unix.Close(sock)
diff --git a/pkg/sentry/fsutil/chdir/BUILD b/pkg/sentry/fsutil/chdir/BUILD
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..98db91e10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/sentry/fsutil/chdir/BUILD
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+load("//tools:defs.bzl", "go_library")
+
+package(licenses = ["notice"])
+
+go_library(
+    name = "chdir",
+    srcs = ["chdir.go"],
+    visibility = ["//pkg/sentry:internal"],
+    deps = [
+        "//pkg/sync",
+        "@org_golang_x_sys//unix:go_default_library",
+    ],
+)
diff --git a/pkg/fsutil/chdir.go b/pkg/sentry/fsutil/chdir/chdir.go
similarity index 57%
rename from pkg/fsutil/chdir.go
rename to pkg/sentry/fsutil/chdir/chdir.go
index 8d8c1fcd0..ac1fca9f9 100644
--- a/pkg/fsutil/chdir.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/fsutil/chdir/chdir.go
@@ -12,31 +12,52 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
-package fsutil
+// Package chdir provides utilities to control the sandbox process's current
+// working directory.
+package chdir
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 	"gvisor.dev/gvisor/pkg/sync"
 )
 
-// chdirMu is the global mutex that synchronizes host chdir operations.
+// chdirMu is the global mutex that synchronizes host chdir operations for the
+// sandbox process.
 var chdirMu sync.Mutex
 
+// cwd is the current working directory for the sandbox process. The sandbox
+// process usually runs in an empty chroot so cwd should be pointing to '/'.
+// cwd is protected by chdirMu.
+var cwd *os.File
+
+// InitCWD initializes the global cwd FD. InitCWD must be called after the
+// sandbox process has been configured with pivot_root(2)/chroot(2).
+func InitCWD() (err error) {
+	chdirMu.Lock()
+	defer chdirMu.Unlock()
+	if cwd != nil {
+		panic("InitCWD() called twice")
+	}
+	cwd, err = os.Open(".")
+	return
+}
+
 // DoInDir performs fn after chdir-ing to dirFD and then reverts back to the
 // original CWD.
+//
+// Precondition: InitCWD() must have been called.
 func DoInDir(dirFD int, fn func() error) error {
 	chdirMu.Lock()
 	defer chdirMu.Unlock()
-
-	oldCWD, err := unix.Openat(unix.AT_FDCWD, ".", unix.O_PATH, 0 /* mode */)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	if cwd == nil {
+		panic("DoInDir() called without calling InitCWD()")
 	}
 
 	defer func() {
-		if err := unix.Fchdir(oldCWD); err != nil {
+		if err := unix.Fchdir(int(cwd.Fd())); err != nil {
 			panic(fmt.Errorf("restoring orginial CWD failed: %v", err))
 		}
 	}()