diff --git a/gunicorn/app/djangoapp.py b/gunicorn/app/djangoapp.py
index e89df001..c9cbb00e 100644
--- a/gunicorn/app/djangoapp.py
+++ b/gunicorn/app/djangoapp.py
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ def make_default_env(cfg):
         os.environ['DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE']
     except KeyError:
         # not settings env set, try to build one.
-        project_path, settings_name = find_settings_module(os.getcwd())
+        cwd = util.getcwd()
+        project_path, settings_name = find_settings_module(cwd)
 
         if not project_path:
             raise RuntimeError("django project not found")
diff --git a/gunicorn/app/pasterapp.py b/gunicorn/app/pasterapp.py
index cdd02fd9..b6e4f0e9 100644
--- a/gunicorn/app/pasterapp.py
+++ b/gunicorn/app/pasterapp.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ SERVER = loadwsgi.SERVER
 
 from gunicorn.app.base import Application
 from gunicorn.config import Config
+from gunicorn import util
 
 
 class PasterBaseApplication(Application):
@@ -68,7 +69,8 @@ class PasterApplication(PasterBaseApplication):
         if len(args) != 1:
             parser.error("No application name specified.")
 
-        cfgfname = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(os.getcwd(), args[0]))
+        cwd = util.getcwd()
+        cfgfname = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(cwd, args[0]))
         cfgfname = os.path.abspath(cfgfname)
         if not os.path.exists(cfgfname):
             parser.error("Config file not found: %s" % cfgfname)
diff --git a/gunicorn/app/wsgiapp.py b/gunicorn/app/wsgiapp.py
index b469ab7d..4ef27ef5 100644
--- a/gunicorn/app/wsgiapp.py
+++ b/gunicorn/app/wsgiapp.py
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ class WSGIApplication(Application):
         self.cfg.set("default_proc_name", args[0])
         self.app_uri = args[0]
 
-        sys.path.insert(0, os.getcwd())
+        cwd = util.getcwd()
+
+        sys.path.insert(0, cwd)
 
     def load(self):
         return util.import_app(self.app_uri)
diff --git a/gunicorn/arbiter.py b/gunicorn/arbiter.py
index 098a7be2..707f1bf9 100644
--- a/gunicorn/arbiter.py
+++ b/gunicorn/arbiter.py
@@ -59,16 +59,7 @@ class Arbiter(object):
         self.reexec_pid = 0
         self.master_name = "Master"
 
-        # get current path, try to use PWD env first
-        try:
-            a = os.stat(os.environ['PWD'])
-            b = os.stat(os.getcwd())
-            if a.st_ino == b.st_ino and a.st_dev == b.st_dev:
-                cwd = os.environ['PWD']
-            else:
-                cwd = os.getcwd()
-        except:
-            cwd = os.getcwd()
+        cwd = util.getcwd()
 
         args = sys.argv[:]
         args.insert(0, sys.executable)
diff --git a/gunicorn/util.py b/gunicorn/util.py
index 42e47d52..f472cf5a 100644
--- a/gunicorn/util.py
+++ b/gunicorn/util.py
@@ -364,6 +364,20 @@ def import_app(module):
     return app
 
 
+def getcwd():
+    # get current path, try to use PWD env first
+    try:
+        a = os.stat(os.environ['PWD'])
+        b = os.stat(os.getcwd())
+        if a.st_ino == b.st_ino and a.st_dev == b.st_dev:
+            cwd = os.environ['PWD']
+        else:
+            cwd = os.getcwd()
+    except:
+        cwd = os.getcwd()
+    return cwd
+
+
 def http_date(timestamp=None):
     """Return the current date and time formatted for a message header."""
     if timestamp is None: