diff --git a/info_test.go b/info_test.go
index 8436a49..5f09db7 100644
--- a/info_test.go
+++ b/info_test.go
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ func TestEnv_PS(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestEnv_DIR_HOME(t *testing.T) {
+	if ch := os.Getenv("CORE_HOME"); ch != "" {
+		assert.Equal(t, ch, core.Env("DIR_HOME"))
+		return
+	}
 	home, err := os.UserHomeDir()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, home, core.Env("DIR_HOME"))
diff --git a/path.go b/path.go
index 023419d..d977e9c 100644
--- a/path.go
+++ b/path.go
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: EUPL-1.2
 
 // OS-aware filesystem path operations for the Core framework.
-// Zero filepath import — uses Env("DS") for the separator and
-// Core string primitives for all path manipulation.
+// Uses Env("DS") for the separator and Core string primitives
+// for path manipulation. filepath imported only for PathGlob.
 //
 // Path anchors relative segments to DIR_HOME:
 //
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ import "path/filepath"
 func Path(segments ...string) string {
 	ds := Env("DS")
 	home := Env("DIR_HOME")
+	if home == "" {
+		home = "."
+	}
 	if len(segments) == 0 {
 		return home
 	}
diff --git a/path_test.go b/path_test.go
index 56a3ac7..3f18b06 100644
--- a/path_test.go
+++ b/path_test.go
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ func TestPath_Relative(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestPath_Absolute(t *testing.T) {
-	assert.Equal(t, "/tmp/workspace", core.Path("/tmp", "workspace"))
+	ds := core.Env("DS")
+	assert.Equal(t, "/tmp"+ds+"workspace", core.Path("/tmp", "workspace"))
 }
 
 func TestPath_Empty(t *testing.T) {
@@ -35,7 +36,8 @@ func TestPath_Cleans(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestPath_CleanDoubleSlash(t *testing.T) {
-	assert.Equal(t, "/tmp/file", core.Path("/tmp//file"))
+	ds := core.Env("DS")
+	assert.Equal(t, ds+"tmp"+ds+"file", core.Path("/tmp//file"))
 }
 
 func TestPathBase(t *testing.T) {