diff --git a/mrblib/dir.rb b/mrblib/dir.rb
index b53a7102a..e00f8290a 100644
--- a/mrblib/dir.rb
+++ b/mrblib/dir.rb
@@ -40,6 +40,21 @@ class Dir
     end
   end
 
+  def self.chdir(path, &block)
+    my = self # workaround for https://github.com/mruby/mruby/issues/1579
+    if block
+      wd = self.getwd
+      begin
+        self._chdir(path)
+        block.call
+      ensure
+        my._chdir(wd)
+      end
+    else
+      self._chdir(path)
+    end
+  end
+
   class << self
     alias exists? exist?
     alias pwd getwd
diff --git a/src/dir.c b/src/dir.c
index 14108f8de..97e0c4fc9 100644
--- a/src/dir.c
+++ b/src/dir.c
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ mrb_mruby_dir_gem_init(mrb_state *mrb)
   mrb_define_class_method(mrb, d, "exist?", mrb_dir_existp, MRB_ARGS_REQ(1));
   mrb_define_class_method(mrb, d, "getwd",  mrb_dir_getwd,  MRB_ARGS_NONE());
   mrb_define_class_method(mrb, d, "mkdir",  mrb_dir_mkdir,  MRB_ARGS_REQ(1)|MRB_ARGS_OPT(1));
-  mrb_define_class_method(mrb, d, "chdir",  mrb_dir_chdir,  MRB_ARGS_REQ(1));
+  mrb_define_class_method(mrb, d, "_chdir", mrb_dir_chdir,  MRB_ARGS_REQ(1));
 
   mrb_define_method(mrb, d, "close",      mrb_dir_close,  MRB_ARGS_NONE());
   mrb_define_method(mrb, d, "initialize", mrb_dir_init,   MRB_ARGS_REQ(1));