diff --git a/thunar/thunar-util.c b/thunar/thunar-util.c
index b49a954..91be738 100644
--- a/thunar/thunar-util.c
+++ b/thunar/thunar-util.c
@@ -404,20 +404,33 @@ thunar_util_change_working_directory (const gchar *new_directory)
 
   _thunar_return_val_if_fail (new_directory != NULL && *new_directory != '\0', NULL);
 
+  /* try to determine the current working directory */
+#if defined(G_PLATFORM_WIN32)
   /* allocate a path buffer for the old working directory */
   old_directory = g_malloc0 (sizeof (gchar) * MAXPATHLEN);
 
-  /* try to determine the current working directory */
-#ifdef G_PLATFORM_WIN32
   if (_getcwd (old_directory, MAXPATHLEN) == NULL)
-#else
-  if (getcwd (old_directory, MAXPATHLEN) == NULL)
+    {
+      /* working directory couldn't be determined, reset the buffer */
+      g_free (old_directory);
+      old_directory = NULL;
+    }
+#elif defined(_GNU_SOURCE)
+  old_directory = get_current_dir_name();
+#else 
+#ifndef MAXPATHLEN
+#define MAXPATHLEN 4096
 #endif
+  /* allocate a path buffer for the old working directory */
+  old_directory = g_malloc (sizeof (gchar) * MAXPATHLEN);
+
+  if (getcwd (old_directory, MAXPATHLEN) == NULL)
     {
       /* working directory couldn't be determined, reset the buffer */
       g_free (old_directory);
       old_directory = NULL;
     }
+#endif
 
   /* try switching to the new working directory */
 #ifdef G_PLATFORM_WIN32