diff --git a/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/Explorer.kt b/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/Explorer.kt
index 7c3fafd435..0c13db4d50 100644
--- a/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/Explorer.kt
+++ b/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/Explorer.kt
@@ -10,7 +10,16 @@ class Explorer(val explorerController: ExplorerController) : AutoCloseable {
     private var process: Process? = null
 
     fun open(config: NodeConfig, onExit: (NodeConfig) -> Unit) {
+        val explorerDir = config.explorerDir.toFile()
+
+        if (!explorerDir.mkdirs()) {
+            log.warn("Failed to create working directory '{}'", explorerDir.getAbsolutePath())
+            onExit(config)
+            return
+        }
+
         val p = explorerController.execute(
+              config.explorerDir,
               "--host=localhost",
               "--port=${config.artemisPort}",
               "--username=${config.user["user"]}",
@@ -35,4 +44,4 @@ class Explorer(val explorerController: ExplorerController) : AutoCloseable {
         process?.destroy()
     }
 
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/ExplorerController.kt b/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/ExplorerController.kt
index 89b9053fcf..a48ca08e0f 100644
--- a/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/ExplorerController.kt
+++ b/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/ExplorerController.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package net.corda.demobench.model
 
 import tornadofx.Controller
+import java.nio.file.Path
 import java.nio.file.Paths
 
 class ExplorerController : Controller() {
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ class ExplorerController : Controller() {
         log.info("Explorer JAR: " + explorerPath)
     }
 
-    internal fun execute(vararg args: String) = jvm.execute(explorerPath, *args)
+    internal fun execute(cwd: Path, vararg args: String) = jvm.execute(explorerPath, cwd, *args)
 
     fun explorer() = Explorer(this)
 
diff --git a/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/JVMConfig.kt b/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/JVMConfig.kt
index 7bac668d1c..6aec7d56ea 100644
--- a/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/JVMConfig.kt
+++ b/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/JVMConfig.kt
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ class JVMConfig : Controller() {
         return arrayOf(javaPath.toString(), "-jar", jarPath.toString(), *args)
     }
 
-    fun execute(jarPath: Path, vararg args: String): Process {
-        return Runtime.getRuntime().exec(commandFor(jarPath, *args))
+    fun execute(jarPath: Path, cwd: Path, vararg args: String): Process {
+        return Runtime.getRuntime().exec(commandFor(jarPath, *args), null, cwd.toFile())
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/NodeConfig.kt b/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/NodeConfig.kt
index 35ae18e401..4600b57aa5 100644
--- a/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/NodeConfig.kt
+++ b/tools/demobench/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/demobench/model/NodeConfig.kt
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ class NodeConfig(
 ) : NetworkMapConfig(legalName, artemisPort) {
 
     val nodeDir: Path = baseDir.resolve(key)
+    val explorerDir: Path = baseDir.resolve("$key-explorer")
 
     val user: Map<String, Any> = mapOf(
         "user" to "guest",