diff --git a/.changeset/grumpy-pants-relax.md b/.changeset/grumpy-pants-relax.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e280758f8369
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/grumpy-pants-relax.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+"wrangler": patch
+---
+
+fix: path should be optional for wrangler d1 backup download
+
+This PR fixes a bug that forces folks to provide a `--output` flag to `wrangler d1 backup download`.
diff --git a/packages/wrangler/src/d1/backups.tsx b/packages/wrangler/src/d1/backups.tsx
index 64f9841e3e8d..fa428ffbabee 100644
--- a/packages/wrangler/src/d1/backups.tsx
+++ b/packages/wrangler/src/d1/backups.tsx
@@ -191,11 +191,7 @@ export const DownloadHandler = withConfig<BackupDownloadArgs>(
 			name
 		);
 		const filename =
-			output ||
-			path.join(
-				process.env.INIT_CWD as string,
-				`${name}.${backupId.slice(0, 8)}.sqlite3`
-			);
+			output || path.resolve(`${name}.${backupId.slice(0, 8)}.sqlite3`);
 
 		logger.log(`🌀 Downloading backup ${backupId} from '${name}'`);
 		const response = await getBackupResponse(accountId, db.uuid, backupId);