diff --git a/commandline.c b/commandline.c
index 3534606a..eea9688f 100644
--- a/commandline.c
+++ b/commandline.c
@@ -571,11 +571,14 @@ int app_server_start(int argc, const char *const *argv, struct command_line_opti
     break;
   }
 #endif
-  const char *execpath;
+  const char *execpath, *instancepath;
   int foregroundP = (argc >= 2 && !strcasecmp(argv[1], "foreground"));
-  if (cli_arg(argc, argv, o, "instance path", &thisinstancepath, cli_absolute_path, NULL) == -1
+  if (cli_arg(argc, argv, o, "instance path", &instancepath, cli_absolute_path, NULL) == -1
    || cli_arg(argc, argv, o, "exec path", &execpath, cli_absolute_path, NULL) == -1)
     return -1;
+  if (instancepath != NULL)
+    serval_setinstancepath(instancepath);
+  
   if (execpath == NULL) {
     if (jni_env)
       return WHY("Must supply <exec path> argument when invoked via JNI");
@@ -682,9 +685,11 @@ int app_server_stop(int argc, const char *const *argv, struct command_line_optio
   long long		timeout;
   struct timespec 	delay;
 
-  if (cli_arg(argc, argv, o, "instance path", &thisinstancepath, cli_absolute_path, NULL) == -1)
+  if (cli_arg(argc, argv, o, "instance path", &instancepath, cli_absolute_path, NULL) == -1)
     return WHY("Unable to determine instance path");
-
+  if (instancepath != NULL)
+    serval_setinstancepath(instancepath);
+  
   instancepath = serval_instancepath();
   cli_puts("instancepath");
   cli_delim(":");
@@ -746,10 +751,14 @@ int app_server_status(int argc, const char *const *argv, struct command_line_opt
 {
   if (debug & DEBUG_VERBOSE) DEBUG_argv("command", argc, argv);
   int	pid;
-
-  if (cli_arg(argc, argv, o, "instance path", &thisinstancepath, cli_absolute_path, NULL) == -1)
+  const char *instancepath;
+  
+  if (cli_arg(argc, argv, o, "instance path", &instancepath, cli_absolute_path, NULL) == -1)
     return WHY("Unable to determine instance path");
 
+  if (instancepath != NULL)
+    serval_setinstancepath(instancepath);
+  
   pid = server_pid();
 
   cli_puts("instancepath");
diff --git a/conf.c b/conf.c
index 6c48983c..4820f2a9 100644
--- a/conf.c
+++ b/conf.c
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ int confWrite()
   return 0;
 }
 
-const char *thisinstancepath = NULL;
+static char *thisinstancepath = NULL;
 
 const char *serval_instancepath()
 {
@@ -434,6 +434,14 @@ const char *serval_instancepath()
   return instancepath;
 }
 
+void serval_setinstancepath(const char *instancepath)
+{
+  if (thisinstancepath == NULL)
+    free(thisinstancepath);
+  
+  thisinstancepath = strdup(instancepath);
+}
+
 int form_serval_instance_path(char *buf, size_t bufsiz, const char *path)
 {
   if (snprintf(buf, bufsiz, "%s/%s", serval_instancepath(), path) < bufsiz)
diff --git a/conf.h b/conf.h
index 1a5e4bc7..1a571137 100644
--- a/conf.h
+++ b/conf.h
@@ -50,4 +50,6 @@ int form_serval_instance_path(char *buf, size_t bufsiz, const char *path);
 const char *trimbuildpath(const char *s);
 int mkdirs(const char *path, mode_t mode);
 int mkdirsn(const char *path, size_t len, mode_t mode);
+const char *serval_instancepath();
+void serval_setinstancepath(const char *instancepath);
 
diff --git a/serval.h b/serval.h
index 57b4525e..1c623688 100644
--- a/serval.h
+++ b/serval.h
@@ -837,8 +837,6 @@ int _memabuseCheck(const char *func,const char *file,const int line);
 #define memabuseCheck() /* */
 #endif
 
-const char *thisinstancepath;
-const char *serval_instancepath();
 int form_serval_instance_path(char * buf, size_t bufsiz, const char *path);
 int create_serval_instance_dir();