diff --git a/crates/deno_task_shell/src/parser.rs b/crates/deno_task_shell/src/parser.rs
index 99ee76d..27919df 100644
--- a/crates/deno_task_shell/src/parser.rs
+++ b/crates/deno_task_shell/src/parser.rs
@@ -684,19 +684,10 @@ fn parse_word(pair: Pair<Rule>) -> Result<Word> {
         match part.as_rule() {
           Rule::EXIT_STATUS => parts.push(WordPart::Variable("?".to_string())),
           Rule::UNQUOTED_CHAR => {
-            let char = part.as_str().chars().next().unwrap();
-            let text = if char == '~' {
-                dirs::home_dir()
-                    .map(|p| p.to_string_lossy().into_owned())
-                    .unwrap_or_else(|| "~".to_string())
-            } else {
-                char.to_string()
-            };
-
-            if let Some(WordPart::Text(ref mut existing_text)) = parts.last_mut() {
-                existing_text.push_str(&text);
+            if let Some(WordPart::Text(ref mut text)) = parts.last_mut() {
+              text.push(part.as_str().chars().next().unwrap());
             } else {
-                parts.push(WordPart::Text(text));
+              parts.push(WordPart::Text(part.as_str().to_string()));
             }
           }
           Rule::UNQUOTED_ESCAPE_CHAR => {
diff --git a/crates/deno_task_shell/src/shell/commands/cd.rs b/crates/deno_task_shell/src/shell/commands/cd.rs
index 5a9fd93..d5c1143 100644
--- a/crates/deno_task_shell/src/shell/commands/cd.rs
+++ b/crates/deno_task_shell/src/shell/commands/cd.rs
@@ -41,9 +41,8 @@ fn execute_cd(cwd: &Path, args: Vec<String>) -> Result<PathBuf> {
   // create a new vector to avoid modifying the original
   let mut args = args;
   if args.is_empty() {
-    // append homedir to args
-    let home_dir = dirs::home_dir().unwrap();
-    args.push(home_dir.to_string_lossy().to_string());
+    // append '~' to args
+    args.push("~".to_string());
   }
   let path = parse_args(args.clone())?;
   let new_dir = cwd.join(&path);
@@ -64,7 +63,13 @@ fn parse_args(args: Vec<String>) -> Result<String> {
   for arg in args {
     match arg {
       ArgKind::Arg(arg) => {
-        paths.push(arg);
+        if arg.contains('~') {
+          let home_dir = dirs::home_dir().unwrap();
+          let arg = arg.replacen("~", home_dir.to_string_lossy().as_ref(), 1);
+          paths.push(arg);
+        } else {
+          paths.push(arg.to_string());
+        }
       }
       _ => arg.bail_unsupported()?,
     }