diff --git a/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c b/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
index f58d0d9fa8..8dfa05c55e 100644
--- a/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
+++ b/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
@@ -236,6 +236,9 @@ opal_cmd_line_init_t cmd_line_init[] = {
     { NULL, NULL, NULL, '\0', "wdir", "wdir", 1,
       &orterun_globals.wdir, OPAL_CMD_LINE_TYPE_STRING,
       "Set the working directory of the started processes" },
+    { NULL, NULL, NULL, '\0', "wd", "wd", 1,
+      &orterun_globals.wdir, OPAL_CMD_LINE_TYPE_STRING,
+      "Synonym for --wdir" },
     { NULL, NULL, NULL, '\0', "path", "path", 1,
       &orterun_globals.path, OPAL_CMD_LINE_TYPE_STRING,
       "PATH to be used to look for executables to start processes" },