diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore/WebHost.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore/WebHost.cs
index 8c49d2eb23..987d9afd2c 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore/WebHost.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore/WebHost.cs
@@ -149,12 +149,21 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore
         /// <returns>The initialized <see cref="IWebHostBuilder"/>.</returns>
         public static IWebHostBuilder CreateDefaultBuilder(string[] args)
         {
-            var builder = new WebHostBuilder()
-                .UseKestrel((builderContext, options) =>
+            var builder = new WebHostBuilder();
+
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(builder.GetSetting(WebHostDefaults.ContentRootKey)))
+            {
+                builder.UseContentRoot(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory());
+            }
+            if (args != null)
+            {
+                builder.UseConfiguration(new ConfigurationBuilder().AddCommandLine(args).Build());
+            }
+
+            builder.UseKestrel((builderContext, options) =>
                 {
                     options.Configure(builderContext.Configuration.GetSection("Kestrel"));
                 })
-                .UseContentRoot(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory())
                 .ConfigureAppConfiguration((hostingContext, config) =>
                 {
                     var env = hostingContext.HostingEnvironment;
@@ -209,11 +218,6 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore
                     options.ValidateScopes = context.HostingEnvironment.IsDevelopment();
                 });
 
-            if (args != null)
-            {
-                builder.UseConfiguration(new ConfigurationBuilder().AddCommandLine(args).Build());
-            }
-
             return builder;
         }
 
diff --git a/test/Microsoft.AspNetCore.FunctionalTests/WebHostFunctionalTests.cs b/test/Microsoft.AspNetCore.FunctionalTests/WebHostFunctionalTests.cs
index b882205779..4942fefb39 100644
--- a/test/Microsoft.AspNetCore.FunctionalTests/WebHostFunctionalTests.cs
+++ b/test/Microsoft.AspNetCore.FunctionalTests/WebHostFunctionalTests.cs
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Tests
             var applicationName = "CreateDefaultBuilderApp";
             await ExecuteTestApp(applicationName, async (deploymentResult, logger) =>
             {
-                var response = await RetryHelper.RetryRequest(() => deploymentResult.HttpClient.GetAsync(string.Empty), logger, deploymentResult.HostShutdownToken);
+                var response = await RetryHelper.RetryRequest(() => deploymentResult.HttpClient.GetAsync(string.Empty), logger, deploymentResult.HostShutdownToken, retryCount: 5);
 
                 var responseText = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
                 try
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Tests
             var applicationName = "CreateDefaultBuilderOfTApp";
             await ExecuteTestApp(applicationName, async (deploymentResult, logger) =>
             {
-                var response = await RetryHelper.RetryRequest(() => deploymentResult.HttpClient.GetAsync(string.Empty), logger, deploymentResult.HostShutdownToken);
+                var response = await RetryHelper.RetryRequest(() => deploymentResult.HttpClient.GetAsync(string.Empty), logger, deploymentResult.HostShutdownToken, retryCount: 5);
 
                 var responseText = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
                 try
diff --git a/test/TestSites/CreateDefaultBuilderApp/Program.cs b/test/TestSites/CreateDefaultBuilderApp/Program.cs
index e8b91c67c0..e0002ced01 100644
--- a/test/TestSites/CreateDefaultBuilderApp/Program.cs
+++ b/test/TestSites/CreateDefaultBuilderApp/Program.cs
@@ -35,9 +35,10 @@ namespace CreateDefaultBuilderApp
         private static string GetResponseMessage(WebHostBuilderContext context, IServiceCollection services)
         {
             // Verify ContentRootPath set
-            if (!string.Equals(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), context.HostingEnvironment.ContentRootPath, StringComparison.Ordinal))
+            var contentRoot = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ASPNETCORE_CONTENTROOT");
+            if (!string.Equals(contentRoot, context.HostingEnvironment.ContentRootPath, StringComparison.Ordinal))
             {
-                return $"Current directory incorrect. Expected: {Directory.GetCurrentDirectory()} Actual: {context.HostingEnvironment.ContentRootPath}";
+                return $"ContentRootPath incorrect. Expected: {contentRoot} Actual: {context.HostingEnvironment.ContentRootPath}";
             }
 
             // Verify appsettings.json loaded
diff --git a/test/TestSites/CreateDefaultBuilderOfTApp/Startup.cs b/test/TestSites/CreateDefaultBuilderOfTApp/Startup.cs
index 2bfb0cdfe9..4d607bffc0 100644
--- a/test/TestSites/CreateDefaultBuilderOfTApp/Startup.cs
+++ b/test/TestSites/CreateDefaultBuilderOfTApp/Startup.cs
@@ -26,9 +26,10 @@ namespace CreateDefaultBuilderOfTApp
         private static string GetResponseMessage(WebHostBuilderContext context, IOptions<HostFilteringOptions> hostFilteringOptions)
         {
             // Verify ContentRootPath set
-            if (!string.Equals(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), context.HostingEnvironment.ContentRootPath, StringComparison.Ordinal))
+            var contentRoot = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ASPNETCORE_CONTENTROOT");
+            if (!string.Equals(contentRoot, context.HostingEnvironment.ContentRootPath, StringComparison.Ordinal))
             {
-                return $"Current directory incorrect. Expected: {Directory.GetCurrentDirectory()} Actual: {context.HostingEnvironment.ContentRootPath}";
+                return $"ContentRootPath incorrect. Expected: {contentRoot} Actual: {context.HostingEnvironment.ContentRootPath}";
             }
 
             // Verify appsettings.json loaded