diff --git a/lua/remote-sshfs/connections.lua b/lua/remote-sshfs/connections.lua
index 9d344f7..a1fdb7d 100644
--- a/lua/remote-sshfs/connections.lua
+++ b/lua/remote-sshfs/connections.lua
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ local sshfs_args = {}
 local sshfs_job_id = nil
 local mount_point = nil
 local current_host = nil
+local original_dir = nil
 
 local M = {}
 
@@ -53,6 +54,8 @@ M.reload = function()
 end
 
 M.connect = function(host)
+  -- Store original directory
+  original_dir = vim.fn.getcwd()
   -- Initialize host variables
   local remote_host = host["Name"]
   if config.ui.confirm.connect then
@@ -296,11 +299,19 @@ M.unmount_host = function()
       -- Fallback to generic umount
       vim.fn.system { "umount", target }
     end
+    -- restore original directory
+    if original_dir and vim.fn.isdirectory(original_dir) then
+      utils.change_directory(original_dir)
+    end
     sshfs_job_id = nil
     mount_point = nil
     current_host = nil
+    original_dir = nil
     -- Clear Telescope extension cache for remote-find commands
-    pcall(require, "telescope._extensions.remote-sshfs").clear_cache()
+    local ok, ext = pcall(require, "telescope._extensions.remote-sshfs")
+    if ok and ext.clear_cache then
+      ext.clear_cache()
+    end
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/lua/remote-sshfs/statusline.lua b/lua/remote-sshfs/statusline.lua
index 483ccc5..c3303ce 100644
--- a/lua/remote-sshfs/statusline.lua
+++ b/lua/remote-sshfs/statusline.lua
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ function M.status()
     return ""
   end
 
-  local host_tbl = conn.get_current_host and conn.get_current_host() or nil
+  local host_tbl = conn.get_current_host and conn.get_current_host()
   local name = "remote"
   if host_tbl and type(host_tbl) == "table" then
     -- Prefer the explicit entries we create while parsing the ssh-config.
diff --git a/lua/remote-sshfs/utils.lua b/lua/remote-sshfs/utils.lua
index f066602..009fadc 100644
--- a/lua/remote-sshfs/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/remote-sshfs/utils.lua
@@ -151,10 +151,16 @@ M.parse_host_from_command = function(command)
   return host
 end
 
+--- Change the working directory of the Vim instance
+--- @param path string
 M.change_directory = function(path)
-  -- Change the working directory of the Vim instance
-  vim.fn.execute("cd " .. path)
-  vim.notify("Directory changed to " .. path)
+  local ok, err = pcall(vim.api.nvim_set_current_dir, path)
+  if not ok then
+    vim.notify("Failed to change directory: " .. tostring(err), vim.log.levels.ERROR)
+  else
+    vim.cmd "edit ."
+    vim.notify("Directory changed to " .. path)
+  end
 end
 
 -- CallbackList class
diff --git a/lua/telescope/_extensions/remote-sshfs.lua b/lua/telescope/_extensions/remote-sshfs.lua
index 06571dd..3861b58 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/_extensions/remote-sshfs.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/_extensions/remote-sshfs.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ local ns_previewer = vim.api.nvim_create_namespace "telescope.previewers"
 
 -- Build virtualized host file from parsed hosts from plugin
 local function build_host_preview(hosts, name)
-  if name == "" or nil then
+  if not name and name == "" then
     return {}
   end