diff --git a/gunicorn/app/base.py b/gunicorn/app/base.py
index 79acb0dc1a..2caa9e09d5 100644
--- a/gunicorn/app/base.py
+++ b/gunicorn/app/base.py
@@ -75,8 +75,18 @@ def run(self):
             sys.stderr.flush()
             sys.exit(1)
 
+
 class Application(BaseApplication):
 
+    def chdir(self):
+        # chdir to the configured path before loading,
+        # default is the current dir
+        os.chdir(self.cfg.chdir)
+
+        # add the path to sys.path
+        if self.cfg.chdir not in sys.path:
+            sys.path.insert(0, self.cfg.chdir)
+
     def get_config_from_filename(self, filename):
 
         if not os.path.exists(filename):
@@ -142,6 +152,9 @@ def load_config(self):
         # optional settings from apps
         cfg = self.init(parser, args, args.args)
 
+        # set up import paths and follow symlinks
+        self.chdir()
+
         # Load up the any app specific configuration
         if cfg:
             for k, v in cfg.items():
@@ -174,6 +187,10 @@ def load_config(self):
                 continue
             self.cfg.set(k.lower(), v)
 
+        # current directory might be changed by the config now
+        # set up import paths and follow symlinks
+        self.chdir()
+
     def run(self):
         if self.cfg.check_config:
             try:
diff --git a/gunicorn/app/pasterapp.py b/gunicorn/app/pasterapp.py
index a6150225b4..33f62b0b25 100644
--- a/gunicorn/app/pasterapp.py
+++ b/gunicorn/app/pasterapp.py
@@ -163,10 +163,6 @@ def __init__(self, app, gcfg=None, host="127.0.0.1", port=None, *args, **kwargs)
                 self.load_config_from_file(default_config)
 
     def load(self):
-        # chdir to the configured path before loading,
-        # default is the current dir
-        os.chdir(self.cfg.chdir)
-
         return self.app
 
 
diff --git a/gunicorn/app/wsgiapp.py b/gunicorn/app/wsgiapp.py
index 190086e37c..2205944cd9 100644
--- a/gunicorn/app/wsgiapp.py
+++ b/gunicorn/app/wsgiapp.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 # See the NOTICE for more information.
 
 import os
-import sys
 
 from gunicorn.errors import ConfigError
 from gunicorn.app.base import Application
@@ -37,23 +36,11 @@ def init(self, parser, opts, args):
         self.cfg.set("default_proc_name", args[0])
         self.app_uri = args[0]
 
-    def chdir(self):
-        # chdir to the configured path before loading,
-        # default is the current dir
-        os.chdir(self.cfg.chdir)
-
-        # add the path to sys.path
-        sys.path.insert(0, self.cfg.chdir)
-
     def load_wsgiapp(self):
-        self.chdir()
-
         # load the app
         return util.import_app(self.app_uri)
 
     def load_pasteapp(self):
-        self.chdir()
-
         # load the paste app
         from .pasterapp import load_pasteapp
         return load_pasteapp(self.cfgurl, self.relpath, global_conf=self.cfg.paste_global_conf)