diff --git a/Lib/http/server.py b/Lib/http/server.py
index e12e45b..7e2a01c 100644
--- a/Lib/http/server.py
+++ b/Lib/http/server.py
@@ -631,6 +631,20 @@ class SimpleHTTPRequestHandler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
 
     server_version = "SimpleHTTP/" + __version__
 
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if 'directory' in kwargs:
+            self.directory = kwargs.pop('directory')
+        else:
+            self.directory = os.getcwd()
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_directory(cls, directory):
+        def ctor(*args, **kwargs):
+            kwargs['directory'] = directory
+            return cls(*args, **kwargs)
+        return ctor
+
     def do_GET(self):
         """Serve a GET request."""
         f = self.send_head()
@@ -773,7 +787,7 @@ class SimpleHTTPRequestHandler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
         path = posixpath.normpath(path)
         words = path.split('/')
         words = filter(None, words)
-        path = os.getcwd()
+        path = self.directory
         for word in words:
             if os.path.dirname(word) or word in (os.curdir, os.pardir):
                 # Ignore components that are not a simple file/directory name
@@ -1203,9 +1217,12 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
                         default=8000, type=int,
                         nargs='?',
                         help='Specify alternate port [default: 8000]')
+    parser.add_argument('--directory', '-d', default=os.getcwd(),
+                        help='Specify alternate directory '
+                        '[default: current directory]')
     args = parser.parse_args()
     if args.cgi:
         handler_class = CGIHTTPRequestHandler
     else:
-        handler_class = SimpleHTTPRequestHandler
+        handler_class = SimpleHTTPRequestHandler.from_directory(args.directory)
     test(HandlerClass=handler_class, port=args.port, bind=args.bind)