diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ba2d6af4..4b16dd17 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [10.4.4](https://github.com/LazyVim/LazyVim/compare/v10.4.3...v10.4.4) (2023-10-18)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* **project:** don't let `project.nvim` change the cwd. Leads to too much confusion ([7d8b3e8](https://github.com/LazyVim/LazyVim/commit/7d8b3e8ef96f91f96c8e3a0ba62dfab270debf9f))
+
 ## [10.4.3](https://github.com/LazyVim/LazyVim/compare/v10.4.2...v10.4.3) (2023-10-17)
 
 
diff --git a/doc/LazyVim.txt b/doc/LazyVim.txt
index 5d0601e1..ea17820b 100644
--- a/doc/LazyVim.txt
+++ b/doc/LazyVim.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-*LazyVim.txt*         For Neovim >= 0.9.0         Last change: 2023 October 17
+*LazyVim.txt*         For Neovim >= 0.9.0         Last change: 2023 October 18
 
 ==============================================================================
 Table of Contents                                  *LazyVim-table-of-contents*
diff --git a/lua/lazyvim/config/init.lua b/lua/lazyvim/config/init.lua
index 2b4ff20e..b99f473c 100644
--- a/lua/lazyvim/config/init.lua
+++ b/lua/lazyvim/config/init.lua
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ local Util = require("lazyvim.util")
 ---@class LazyVimConfig: LazyVimOptions
 local M = {}
 
-M.version = "10.4.3" -- x-release-please-version
+M.version = "10.4.4" -- x-release-please-version
 
 ---@class LazyVimOptions
 local defaults = {
diff --git a/lua/lazyvim/plugins/extras/util/project.lua b/lua/lazyvim/plugins/extras/util/project.lua
index 8164d19f..e05f75fb 100644
--- a/lua/lazyvim/plugins/extras/util/project.lua
+++ b/lua/lazyvim/plugins/extras/util/project.lua
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ return {
       -- project management
       {
         "ahmedkhalf/project.nvim",
-        opts = {},
+        opts = {
+          manual_mode = true,
+        },
         event = "VeryLazy",
         config = function(_, opts)
           require("project_nvim").setup(opts)