diff --git a/weed/command/shell.go b/weed/command/shell.go
index 3216d5d48..95b62f0b5 100644
--- a/weed/command/shell.go
+++ b/weed/command/shell.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func runShell(command *Command, args []string) bool {
 
 	shellOptions.FilerHost = "localhost"
 	shellOptions.FilerPort = 8888
-	shellOptions.Directory = ""
+	shellOptions.Directory = "/"
 
 	shell.RunShell(shellOptions)
 
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_fs_cd.go b/weed/shell/command_fs_cd.go
index 13208a3f8..f14350f02 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_fs_cd.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_fs_cd.go
@@ -2,11 +2,7 @@ package shell
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"fmt"
-	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/filer2"
-	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/pb/filer_pb"
 	"io"
-	"strings"
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -35,59 +31,23 @@ func (c *commandFsCd) Help() string {
 
 func (c *commandFsCd) Do(args []string, commandEnv *commandEnv, writer io.Writer) (err error) {
 
-	input := ""
-	if len(args) > 0 {
-		input = args[len(args)-1]
-	}
+	input := findInputDirectory(args)
 
 	filerServer, filerPort, path, err := commandEnv.parseUrl(input)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	dir, name := filer2.FullPath(path).DirAndName()
-	if strings.HasSuffix(path, "/") {
-		if path == "/" {
-			dir, name = "/", ""
-		} else {
-			dir, name = filer2.FullPath(path[0:len(path)-1]).DirAndName()
-		}
+	if path == "/" {
+		commandEnv.option.FilerHost = filerServer
+		commandEnv.option.FilerPort = filerPort
+		commandEnv.option.Directory = "/"
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
 
-	err = commandEnv.withFilerClient(ctx, filerServer, filerPort, func(client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerClient) error {
-
-		resp, listErr := client.ListEntries(ctx, &filer_pb.ListEntriesRequest{
-			Directory:          dir,
-			Prefix:             name,
-			StartFromFileName:  name,
-			InclusiveStartFrom: true,
-			Limit:              1,
-		})
-		if listErr != nil {
-			return listErr
-		}
-
-		if path == "" || path == "/" {
-			return nil
-		}
-
-		if len(resp.Entries) == 0 {
-			return fmt.Errorf("entry not found")
-		}
-
-		if resp.Entries[0].Name != name {
-			println("path", path, "dir", dir, "name", name, "found", resp.Entries[0].Name)
-			return fmt.Errorf("not a valid directory, found %s", resp.Entries[0].Name)
-		}
-
-		if !resp.Entries[0].IsDirectory {
-			return fmt.Errorf("not a directory")
-		}
-
-		return nil
-	})
+	err = commandEnv.checkDirectory(ctx, filerServer, filerPort, path)
 
 	if err == nil {
 		commandEnv.option.FilerHost = filerServer
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_fs_du.go b/weed/shell/command_fs_du.go
index 98e2eebd1..f305cabdc 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_fs_du.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_fs_du.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/util"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"io"
-	"strings"
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -33,21 +32,18 @@ func (c *commandFsDu) Help() string {
 
 func (c *commandFsDu) Do(args []string, commandEnv *commandEnv, writer io.Writer) (err error) {
 
-	filerServer, filerPort, path, err := commandEnv.parseUrl(args[0])
+	filerServer, filerPort, path, err := commandEnv.parseUrl(findInputDirectory(args))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	dir, name := filer2.FullPath(path).DirAndName()
-	if strings.HasSuffix(path, "/") {
-		if path == "/" {
-			dir, name = "/", ""
-		} else {
-			dir, name = path[0 : len(path)-1], ""
-		}
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	if commandEnv.isDirectory(ctx, filerServer, filerPort, path) {
+		path = path + "/"
 	}
 
-	ctx := context.Background()
+	dir, name := filer2.FullPath(path).DirAndName()
 
 	return commandEnv.withFilerClient(ctx, filerServer, filerPort, func(client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerClient) error {
 
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_fs_ls.go b/weed/shell/command_fs_ls.go
index 7b8d1d0cc..93b86fa9f 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_fs_ls.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_fs_ls.go
@@ -36,41 +36,33 @@ func (c *commandFsLs) Do(args []string, commandEnv *commandEnv, writer io.Writer
 
 	var isLongFormat, showHidden bool
 	for _, arg := range args {
-		switch arg {
-		case "-a":
-			showHidden = true
-		case "-l":
-			isLongFormat = true
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(arg, "-") {
+			break
 		}
-	}
-
-	input := ""
-	if len(args) > 0 {
-		input = args[len(args)-1]
-		if strings.HasPrefix(input, "-") {
-			input = ""
+		for _, t := range arg {
+			switch t {
+			case 'a':
+				showHidden = true
+			case 'l':
+				isLongFormat = true
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
+	input := findInputDirectory(args)
+
 	filerServer, filerPort, path, err := commandEnv.parseUrl(input)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if input == "" && !strings.HasSuffix(path, "/") {
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	if commandEnv.isDirectory(ctx, filerServer, filerPort, path) {
 		path = path + "/"
 	}
 
 	dir, name := filer2.FullPath(path).DirAndName()
-	// println("path", path, "dir", dir, "name", name)
-	if strings.HasSuffix(path, "/") {
-		if path == "/" {
-			dir, name = "/", ""
-		} else {
-			dir, name = path[0 : len(path)-1], ""
-		}
-	}
-
-	ctx := context.Background()
 
 	return commandEnv.withFilerClient(ctx, filerServer, filerPort, func(client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerClient) error {
 
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_fs_tree.go b/weed/shell/command_fs_tree.go
index 805b17d2a..5bc3c57b4 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_fs_tree.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_fs_tree.go
@@ -29,19 +29,12 @@ func (c *commandFsTree) Help() string {
 
 func (c *commandFsTree) Do(args []string, commandEnv *commandEnv, writer io.Writer) (err error) {
 
-	filerServer, filerPort, path, err := parseFilerUrl(args[len(args)-1])
+	filerServer, filerPort, path, err := commandEnv.parseUrl(findInputDirectory(args))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	dir, name := filer2.FullPath(path).DirAndName()
-	if strings.HasSuffix(path, "/") {
-		if path == "/" {
-			dir, name = "/", ""
-		} else {
-			dir, name = path[0:len(path)-1], ""
-		}
-	}
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
 
diff --git a/weed/shell/commands.go b/weed/shell/commands.go
index 2a262d913..50b70498d 100644
--- a/weed/shell/commands.go
+++ b/weed/shell/commands.go
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 package shell
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/filer2"
+	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/pb/filer_pb"
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/wdclient"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"io"
@@ -46,6 +49,46 @@ func (ce *commandEnv) parseUrl(input string) (filerServer string, filerPort int6
 	return ce.option.FilerHost, ce.option.FilerPort, input, err
 }
 
+func (ce *commandEnv) isDirectory(ctx context.Context, filerServer string, filerPort int64, path string) bool {
+
+	return ce.checkDirectory(ctx,filerServer,filerPort,path) == nil
+
+}
+
+func (ce *commandEnv) checkDirectory(ctx context.Context, filerServer string, filerPort int64, path string) error {
+
+	dir, name := filer2.FullPath(path).DirAndName()
+
+	return ce.withFilerClient(ctx, filerServer, filerPort, func(client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerClient) error {
+
+		resp, listErr := client.ListEntries(ctx, &filer_pb.ListEntriesRequest{
+			Directory:          dir,
+			Prefix:             name,
+			StartFromFileName:  name,
+			InclusiveStartFrom: true,
+			Limit:              1,
+		})
+		if listErr != nil {
+			return listErr
+		}
+
+		if len(resp.Entries) == 0 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("entry not found")
+		}
+
+		if resp.Entries[0].Name != name {
+			return fmt.Errorf("not a valid directory, found %s", resp.Entries[0].Name)
+		}
+
+		if !resp.Entries[0].IsDirectory {
+			return fmt.Errorf("not a directory")
+		}
+
+		return nil
+	})
+
+}
+
 func parseFilerUrl(entryPath string) (filerServer string, filerPort int64, path string, err error) {
 	if strings.HasPrefix(entryPath, "http") {
 		var u *url.URL
@@ -64,3 +107,14 @@ func parseFilerUrl(entryPath string) (filerServer string, filerPort int64, path
 	}
 	return
 }
+
+func findInputDirectory(args []string) (input string) {
+	input = "."
+	if len(args) > 0 {
+		input = args[len(args)-1]
+		if strings.HasPrefix(input, "-") {
+			input = "."
+		}
+	}
+	return input
+}