diff --git a/src/Directory.cpp b/src/Directory.cpp
index b0fe58bc4..212b7cfd4 100644
--- a/src/Directory.cpp
+++ b/src/Directory.cpp
@@ -142,6 +142,35 @@ std::vector <std::string> Directory::listRecursive ()
   return files;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+std::string Directory::cwd ()
+{
+  char buf[PATH_MAX];
+  getcwd (buf, PATH_MAX - 1);
+  return std::string (buf);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+bool Directory::up ()
+{
+  if (_data == "/")
+    return false;
+
+  std::string::size_type slash = _data.rfind ('/');
+  if (slash == 0)
+  {
+    _data = "/";  // Root dir should retain the slash.
+    return true;
+  }
+  else if (slash != std::string::npos)
+  {
+    _data = _data.substr (0, slash);
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void Directory::list (
   const std::string& base,
diff --git a/src/Directory.h b/src/Directory.h
index de812ec3e..f3b21d2ae 100644
--- a/src/Directory.h
+++ b/src/Directory.h
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ public:
   std::vector <std::string> list ();
   std::vector <std::string> listRecursive ();
 
+  static std::string cwd ();
+  bool up ();
+
 private:
   void list (const std::string&, std::vector <std::string>&, bool);
   bool remove_directory (const std::string&);
diff --git a/test/directory.t.cpp b/test/directory.t.cpp
index ea1173b94..08e0dbd87 100644
--- a/test/directory.t.cpp
+++ b/test/directory.t.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ Context context;
 
 int main (int argc, char** argv)
 {
-  UnitTest t (25);
+  UnitTest t (35);
 
   // Directory (const File&);
   // Directory (const Path&);
@@ -104,6 +104,22 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
   t.ok (d7.remove (), "Directory::remove /tmp/to_be_removed");
   t.notok (d7.exists (), "Directory /tmp/to_be_removed gone");
 
+  // static std::string cwd ();
+  std::string cwd = Directory::cwd ();
+  t.ok (cwd.length () > 0, "Directory::cwd returned a value");
+
+  // bool parent (std::string&) const;
+  Directory d9 ("/one/two/three/four.txt");
+  t.ok (d9.up (),                   "parent /one/two/three/four.txt --> true");
+  t.is (d9._data, "/one/two/three", "parent /one/two/three/four.txt --> /one/two/three");
+  t.ok (d9.up (),                   "parent /one/two/three --> true");
+  t.is (d9._data, "/one/two",       "parent /one/two/three --> /one/two");
+  t.ok (d9.up (),                   "parent /one/two --> true");
+  t.is (d9._data, "/one",           "parent /one/two --> /one");
+  t.ok (d9.up (),                   "parent /one --> true");
+  t.is (d9._data, "/",              "parent /one --> /");
+  t.notok (d9.up (),                "parent / --> false");
+
   return 0;
 }