diff --git a/tests/test_stage.py b/tests/test_stage.py
index b1ef539ee..67266ada9 100644
--- a/tests/test_stage.py
+++ b/tests/test_stage.py
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ class TestDefaultWorkingDirectory(TestDvc):
             outs=[self.FOO],
         )
 
+        d = stage.dumpd()
+        self.assertEqual(d[stage.PARAM_WDIR], ".")
+
         with open(stage.relpath, "r") as fobj:
             d = yaml.safe_load(fobj)
         self.assertEqual(d[stage.PARAM_WDIR], ".")
@@ -111,6 +114,10 @@ class TestDefaultWorkingDirectory(TestDvc):
         with open(stage.relpath, "w") as fobj:
             yaml.safe_dump(d, fobj, default_flow_style=False)
 
+        with open(stage.relpath, "r") as fobj:
+            d = yaml.safe_load(fobj)
+        self.assertIsNone(d.get(stage.PARAM_WDIR))
+
         with self.dvc.state:
             stage = Stage.load(self.dvc, stage.relpath)
             self.assertFalse(stage.changed())
diff --git a/tests/unit/stage.py b/tests/unit/stage.py
index add84d171..39aea09b2 100644
--- a/tests/unit/stage.py
+++ b/tests/unit/stage.py
@@ -14,3 +14,37 @@ class TestStageChecksum(TestCase):
             self.assertEqual(
                 stage._compute_md5(), "e9521a22111493406ea64a88cda63e0b"
             )
+
+    def test_wdir_default_ignored(self):
+        stage = Stage(None, "path")
+        outs = [{"path": "a", "md5": "123456789"}]
+        deps = [{"path": "b", "md5": "987654321"}]
+        d = {
+            "md5": "123456",
+            "cmd": "mycmd",
+            "outs": outs,
+            "deps": deps,
+            "wdir": ".",
+        }
+
+        with mock.patch.object(stage, "dumpd", return_value=d):
+            self.assertEqual(
+                stage._compute_md5(), "e9521a22111493406ea64a88cda63e0b"
+            )
+
+    def test_wdir_non_default_is_not_ignored(self):
+        stage = Stage(None, "path")
+        outs = [{"path": "a", "md5": "123456789"}]
+        deps = [{"path": "b", "md5": "987654321"}]
+        d = {
+            "md5": "123456",
+            "cmd": "mycmd",
+            "outs": outs,
+            "deps": deps,
+            "wdir": "..",
+        }
+
+        with mock.patch.object(stage, "dumpd", return_value=d):
+            self.assertEqual(
+                stage._compute_md5(), "2ceba15e87f6848aa756502c1e6d24e9"
+            )