diff --git a/src/cli.js b/src/cli.js
index 898145f2ae3..6d2a3133322 100644
--- a/src/cli.js
+++ b/src/cli.js
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@
 //@ts-check
 'use strict';
 
+// Delete `VSCODE_CWD` very early. We have seen
+// reports where `code .` would use the wrong
+// current working directory due to our variable
+// somehow escaping to the parent shell
+// (https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/126399)
+delete process.env['VSCODE_CWD'];
+
 // ESM-comment-begin
 const bootstrap = require('./bootstrap');
 const bootstrapNode = require('./bootstrap-node');
@@ -25,13 +32,6 @@ const product = require('./bootstrap-meta').product;
 // const __dirname = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
 // ESM-uncomment-end
 
-// Delete `VSCODE_CWD` very early. We have seen
-// reports where `code .` would use the wrong
-// current working directory due to our variable
-// somehow escaping to the parent shell
-// (https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/126399)
-delete process.env['VSCODE_CWD'];
-
 async function start() {
 
 	// NLS