diff --git a/terminal/bundles/org.eclipse.terminal.connector.local/src/org/eclipse/terminal/connector/local/launcher/LocalLauncherDelegate.java b/terminal/bundles/org.eclipse.terminal.connector.local/src/org/eclipse/terminal/connector/local/launcher/LocalLauncherDelegate.java
index 6ef0a48795f..8e638cd36e0 100644
--- a/terminal/bundles/org.eclipse.terminal.connector.local/src/org/eclipse/terminal/connector/local/launcher/LocalLauncherDelegate.java
+++ b/terminal/bundles/org.eclipse.terminal.connector.local/src/org/eclipse/terminal/connector/local/launcher/LocalLauncherDelegate.java
@@ -105,8 +105,10 @@ public CompletableFuture<?> execute(Map<String, Object> properties) {
 			properties.put(ITerminalsConnectorConstants.PROP_FORCE_NEW, Boolean.TRUE);
 		}
 
+		boolean hadWorkingDirectoryBefore = properties
+				.containsKey(ITerminalsConnectorConstants.PROP_PROCESS_WORKING_DIR);
 		// Initialize the local terminal working directory.
-		if (!properties.containsKey(ITerminalsConnectorConstants.PROP_PROCESS_WORKING_DIR)) {
+		if (!hadWorkingDirectoryBefore) {
 			// By default, start the local terminal in the users home directory
 			String initialCwd = IPreferenceKeys.getPreferences()
 					.getString(IPreferenceKeys.PREF_LOCAL_TERMINAL_INITIAL_CWD);
@@ -213,7 +215,7 @@ public CompletableFuture<?> execute(Map<String, Object> properties) {
 						}
 					}
 				}
-				if (dir != null) {
+				if (!hadWorkingDirectoryBefore && dir != null) {
 					properties.put(ITerminalsConnectorConstants.PROP_PROCESS_WORKING_DIR, dir);
 
 					String basename = new Path(dir).lastSegment();
diff --git a/terminal/bundles/org.eclipse.terminal.view.ui/src/org/eclipse/terminal/view/ui/internal/TerminalService.java b/terminal/bundles/org.eclipse.terminal.view.ui/src/org/eclipse/terminal/view/ui/internal/TerminalService.java
index a7ecbc39d2a..53ee1ca3fab 100644
--- a/terminal/bundles/org.eclipse.terminal.view.ui/src/org/eclipse/terminal/view/ui/internal/TerminalService.java
+++ b/terminal/bundles/org.eclipse.terminal.view.ui/src/org/eclipse/terminal/view/ui/internal/TerminalService.java
@@ -14,9 +14,11 @@
 
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletionException;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.Assert;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.CoreException;
@@ -250,6 +252,7 @@ protected ITerminalConnector createTerminalConnector(Map<String, Object> propert
 	public CompletableFuture<?> openConsole(final Map<String, Object> properties) {
 		Assert.isNotNull(properties);
 		final boolean restoringView = fRestoringView;
+		AtomicReference<CompletableFuture<?>> endOperation = new AtomicReference<>(null);
 		return executeServiceOperation(properties, new TerminalServiceRunnable() {
 			@Override
 			public void run(TerminalViewId tvid, String title, ITerminalConnector connector, Object data)
@@ -261,7 +264,14 @@ public void run(TerminalViewId tvid, String title, ITerminalConnector connector,
 					fRestoringView = true;
 					consoleViewManager.showConsoleView(tvid);
 					fRestoringView = false;
-					doRun(tvid, title, connector, data);
+
+					// To make sure that the terminals started by showConsoleView() are started first,
+					// we have to delay starting the current one with executeServiceOperation()
+					// (add the operation at the end of the queue)
+					endOperation.set(executeServiceOperation(
+							(tvid2, title2, connector2, data2) -> doRun(tvid, title, connector, data), tvid, title,
+							connector, data));
+
 				}
 			}
 
@@ -294,7 +304,8 @@ private void doRun(TerminalViewId tvid, String title, ITerminalConnector connect
 					console.setData("properties", properties); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				}
 			}
-		});
+		}).thenCompose(o -> Objects.<CompletableFuture<?>>requireNonNullElse(endOperation.get(),
+				CompletableFuture.completedFuture(o)));
 	}
 
 	@Override