diff --git a/zerver/lib/export.py b/zerver/lib/export.py
index 2449fb2782..aaa8e9af4c 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/export.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/export.py
@@ -1874,14 +1874,15 @@ def do_export_realm(
 
     do_write_stats_file_for_realm_export(output_dir)
 
-    # We need to change back to the current working directory after writing
-    # the tarball to the output directory, otherwise the state is compromised
-    # for our unit tests.
-    reset_dir = os.getcwd()
     tarball_path = output_dir.rstrip("/") + ".tar.gz"
-    os.chdir(os.path.dirname(output_dir))
-    subprocess.check_call(["tar", "-czf", tarball_path, os.path.basename(output_dir)])
-    os.chdir(reset_dir)
+    subprocess.check_call(
+        [
+            "tar",
+            f"-czf{tarball_path}",
+            f"-C{os.path.dirname(output_dir)}",
+            os.path.basename(output_dir),
+        ]
+    )
     return tarball_path
 
 
diff --git a/zerver/management/commands/export_single_user.py b/zerver/management/commands/export_single_user.py
index 25fca88e3b..61b5203d40 100644
--- a/zerver/management/commands/export_single_user.py
+++ b/zerver/management/commands/export_single_user.py
@@ -46,7 +46,12 @@ class Command(ZulipBaseCommand):
         do_export_user(user_profile, output_dir)
         print(f"Finished exporting to {output_dir}; tarring")
         tarball_path = output_dir.rstrip("/") + ".tar.gz"
-
-        os.chdir(os.path.dirname(output_dir))
-        subprocess.check_call(["tar", "-czf", tarball_path, os.path.basename(output_dir)])
+        subprocess.check_call(
+            [
+                "tar",
+                f"-czf{tarball_path}",
+                f"-C{os.path.dirname(output_dir)}",
+                os.path.basename(output_dir),
+            ]
+        )
         print(f"Tarball written to {tarball_path}")