diff --git a/src/execute.c b/src/execute.c
index e2be79932..3233959d7 100644
--- a/src/execute.c
+++ b/src/execute.c
@@ -549,13 +549,18 @@ toggle_subshell (void)
 #ifdef ENABLE_SUBSHELL
     if (mc_global.tty.use_subshell)
     {
-        do_load_prompt ();
-        if (new_dir_vpath != NULL)
-            do_possible_cd (new_dir_vpath);
-        if (mc_global.tty.console_flag != '\0' && output_lines)
-            show_console_contents (output_start_y,
-                                   LINES - mc_global.keybar_visible - output_lines -
-                                   1, LINES - mc_global.keybar_visible - 1);
+        if (mc_global.mc_run_mode == MC_RUN_FULL)
+        {
+            do_load_prompt ();
+            if (new_dir_vpath != NULL)
+                do_possible_cd (new_dir_vpath);
+            if (mc_global.tty.console_flag != '\0' && output_lines)
+                show_console_contents (output_start_y,
+                                       LINES - mc_global.keybar_visible - output_lines -
+                                       1, LINES - mc_global.keybar_visible - 1);
+        }
+        else if (new_dir_vpath != NULL && mc_chdir (new_dir_vpath) != -1)
+            vfs_setup_cwd ();
     }
 
     vfs_path_free (new_dir_vpath);
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index ada50f3fe..c08f588ba 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -331,10 +331,6 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
     handle_console (CONSOLE_INIT);
 
 #ifdef ENABLE_SUBSHELL
-    /* Don't use subshell when invoked as viewer or editor */
-    if (mc_global.mc_run_mode != MC_RUN_FULL)
-        mc_global.tty.use_subshell = FALSE;
-
     if (mc_global.tty.use_subshell)
         subshell_get_console_attributes ();
 #endif /* ENABLE_SUBSHELL */
diff --git a/src/subshell/common.c b/src/subshell/common.c
index b8a9e1f4b..32444cfb0 100644
--- a/src/subshell/common.c
+++ b/src/subshell/common.c
@@ -1143,16 +1143,16 @@ invoke_subshell (const char *command, int how, vfs_path_t ** new_dir_vpath)
 
     /* Make the subshell change to MC's working directory */
     if (new_dir_vpath != NULL)
-        do_subshell_chdir (subshell_get_cwd_from_current_panel (), TRUE);
+        do_subshell_chdir (subshell_get_cwd (), TRUE);
 
     if (command == NULL)        /* The user has done "C-o" from MC */
     {
         if (subshell_state == INACTIVE)
         {
             subshell_state = ACTIVE;
-            /* FIXME: possibly take out this hack; the user can
-               re-play it by hitting C-hyphen a few times! */
-            if (subshell_ready)
+
+            /* FIXME: possibly take out this hack; the user can re-play it by hitting C-hyphen a few times! */
+            if (subshell_ready && mc_global.mc_run_mode == MC_RUN_FULL)
                 write_all (mc_global.tty.subshell_pty, " \b", 2);       /* Hack to make prompt reappear */
         }
     }
@@ -1173,7 +1173,7 @@ invoke_subshell (const char *command, int how, vfs_path_t ** new_dir_vpath)
     {
         const char *pcwd;
 
-        pcwd = vfs_translate_path (vfs_path_as_str (subshell_get_cwd_from_current_panel ()));
+        pcwd = vfs_translate_path (vfs_path_as_str (subshell_get_cwd ()));
         if (strcmp (subshell_cwd, pcwd) != 0)
             *new_dir_vpath = vfs_path_from_str (subshell_cwd);  /* Make MC change to the subshell's CWD */
     }
@@ -1299,7 +1299,7 @@ do_subshell_chdir (const vfs_path_t * vpath, gboolean update_prompt)
 {
     char *pcwd;
 
-    pcwd = vfs_path_to_str_flags (subshell_get_cwd_from_current_panel (), 0, VPF_RECODE);
+    pcwd = vfs_path_to_str_flags (subshell_get_cwd (), 0, VPF_RECODE);
 
     if (!(subshell_state == INACTIVE && strcmp (subshell_cwd, pcwd) != 0))
     {
@@ -1370,9 +1370,7 @@ do_subshell_chdir (const vfs_path_t * vpath, gboolean update_prompt)
         {
             char *cwd;
 
-            cwd =
-                vfs_path_to_str_flags (subshell_get_cwd_from_current_panel (), 0,
-                                       VPF_STRIP_PASSWORD);
+            cwd = vfs_path_to_str_flags (subshell_get_cwd (), 0, VPF_STRIP_PASSWORD);
             vfs_print_message (_("Warning: Cannot change to %s.\n"), cwd);
             g_free (cwd);
         }
diff --git a/src/subshell/internal.h b/src/subshell/internal.h
index 8395320b8..101b85b67 100644
--- a/src/subshell/internal.h
+++ b/src/subshell/internal.h
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 /*** declarations of public functions ************************************************************/
 
-const vfs_path_t *subshell_get_cwd_from_current_panel (void);
+const vfs_path_t *subshell_get_cwd (void);
 void subshell_handle_cons_saver (void);
 
 int subshell_get_mainloop_quit (void);
diff --git a/src/subshell/proxyfunc.c b/src/subshell/proxyfunc.c
index d271fd809..9043a54a3 100644
--- a/src/subshell/proxyfunc.c
+++ b/src/subshell/proxyfunc.c
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 
 #include "lib/global.h"
 
+#include "lib/vfs/vfs.h"        /* vfs_get_raw_current_dir() */
+
 #include "src/setup.h"          /* quit */
 #include "src/filemanager/midnight.h"   /* current_panel */
 #include "src/consaver/cons.saver.h"    /* handle_console() */
@@ -56,9 +58,12 @@
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 const vfs_path_t *
-subshell_get_cwd_from_current_panel (void)
+subshell_get_cwd (void)
 {
-    return current_panel->cwd_vpath;
+    if (mc_global.mc_run_mode == MC_RUN_FULL)
+        return current_panel->cwd_vpath;
+
+    return vfs_get_raw_current_dir ();
 }
 
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */