diff --git a/lib/RELEASE-NOTES b/lib/RELEASE-NOTES
index d4b537a822..07f73e250a 100644
--- a/lib/RELEASE-NOTES
+++ b/lib/RELEASE-NOTES
@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@
 
 !!!The following pref variables were changed in 2.3:
 
+* \document_path
+  Default is changed to ".". The best guess for where the user wants to save
+  or find files is the directory the user started LyX from. Before, the
+  default was always the home directory. If desired, the old behavior can be
+  restored by changing the default path in Preferences > "Working directory".
+
 
 !!!The following pref variables are obsoleted in 2.3:
 
diff --git a/src/LyX.cpp b/src/LyX.cpp
index fec82818b6..047e26515d 100644
--- a/src/LyX.cpp
+++ b/src/LyX.cpp
@@ -831,7 +831,7 @@ bool LyX::init()
 #endif
 
 	lyxrc.tempdir_path = package().temp_dir().absFileName();
-	lyxrc.document_path = package().document_dir().absFileName();
+	lyxrc.document_path = ".";
 
 	if (lyxrc.example_path.empty()) {
 		lyxrc.example_path = addPath(package().system_support().absFileName(),