diff --git a/docs/cli.md b/docs/cli.md
index dee328483da..9a71e0e1b92 100644
--- a/docs/cli.md
+++ b/docs/cli.md
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ then `--help` combined with any of those can give you more information.
 * `--no-interaction (-n)`: Do not ask any interactive question.
 * `--no-plugins`: Disables plugins.
 * `--no-cache`: Disables Poetry source caches.
+* `--directory=DIRECTORY (-C)`: The working directory for the Poetry command (defaults to the current working directory).
 
 
 ## new
diff --git a/src/poetry/console/application.py b/src/poetry/console/application.py
index e54c679be9c..533233cadf3 100644
--- a/src/poetry/console/application.py
+++ b/src/poetry/console/application.py
@@ -121,8 +121,13 @@ def poetry(self) -> Poetry:
         if self._poetry is not None:
             return self._poetry
 
+        project_path = Path.cwd()
+
+        if self._io and self._io.input.option("directory"):
+            project_path = self._io.input.option("directory")
+
         self._poetry = Factory().create_poetry(
-            Path.cwd(),
+            cwd=project_path,
             io=self._io,
             disable_plugins=self._disable_plugins,
             disable_cache=self._disable_cache,
@@ -367,6 +372,18 @@ def _default_definition(self) -> Definition:
             )
         )
 
+        definition.add_option(
+            Option(
+                "--directory",
+                "-C",
+                flag=False,
+                description=(
+                    "The working directory for the Poetry command (defaults to the"
+                    " current working directory)."
+                ),
+            )
+        )
+
         return definition
 
     def _get_solution_provider_repository(self) -> SolutionProviderRepository:
diff --git a/src/poetry/console/commands/init.py b/src/poetry/console/commands/init.py
index af259f5c059..e34fa2a7d36 100644
--- a/src/poetry/console/commands/init.py
+++ b/src/poetry/console/commands/init.py
@@ -77,7 +77,17 @@ def handle(self) -> int:
         from poetry.layouts import layout
         from poetry.utils.env import SystemEnv
 
-        pyproject = PyProjectTOML(Path.cwd() / "pyproject.toml")
+        project_path = Path.cwd()
+
+        if self.io.input.option("directory"):
+            project_path = Path(self.io.input.option("directory"))
+            if not project_path.exists() or not project_path.is_dir():
+                self.line_error(
+                    "<error>The --directory path is not a directory.</error>"
+                )
+                return 1
+
+        pyproject = PyProjectTOML(project_path / "pyproject.toml")
 
         if pyproject.file.exists():
             if pyproject.is_poetry_project():
diff --git a/src/poetry/console/commands/new.py b/src/poetry/console/commands/new.py
index cde571aa202..968a3a2a90b 100644
--- a/src/poetry/console/commands/new.py
+++ b/src/poetry/console/commands/new.py
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@ def handle(self) -> int:
         from poetry.layouts import layout
         from poetry.utils.env import SystemEnv
 
+        if self.io.input.option("directory"):
+            self.line_error(
+                "<warning>--directory only makes sense with existing projects, and will"
+                " be ignored. You should consider the option --path instead.</warning>"
+            )
+
         if self.option("src"):
             layout_cls = layout("src")
         else: