diff --git a/lib/main.js b/lib/main.js
index 39f89d8..afe2c77 100644
--- a/lib/main.js
+++ b/lib/main.js
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ export default {
     return new TerminalSession(data.config);
   },
 
+  provideTerminalSession() {
+    return (config={}) => atom.workspace.open(new TerminalSession(config));
+  },
+
   handleOpen() {
     return atom.workspace.open(TERMINAL_TAB_URI);
   },
diff --git a/lib/terminal-session.js b/lib/terminal-session.js
index 1cb8c7e..72d5642 100644
--- a/lib/terminal-session.js
+++ b/lib/terminal-session.js
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ export default class TerminalSession {
   // or the user's home directory.
   //
   _getWorkingDirectory() {
+    if (this.config.cwd) return this.config.cwd;
     if (this._workingDirectory) return this._workingDirectory;
 
     const activeItem = atom.workspace.getActivePaneItem();
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6293220..8e39a55 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -37,6 +37,14 @@
   "deserializers": {
     "TerminalSession": "deserializeTerminalSession"
   },
+  "providedServices": {
+    "terminal-tab": {
+      "description": "Create terminal-tab sessions",
+      "versions": {
+        "0.5.0": "provideTerminalSession"
+      }
+    }
+  },
   "eslintConfig": {
     "env": {
       "browser": true,