diff --git a/edalize/flows/edaflow.py b/edalize/flows/edaflow.py
index 4175df04..8f438763 100644
--- a/edalize/flows/edaflow.py
+++ b/edalize/flows/edaflow.py
@@ -343,6 +343,9 @@ def _run_tool(self, cmd, args=[], cwd=None, quiet=False, env={}):
         logger.debug("args  : " + " ".join(args))
 
         capture_output = quiet and not (self.verbose or self.stdout or self.stderr)
+        abs_cwd = os.path.abspath(cwd) if cwd else None
+        if abs_cwd:
+            print(f"Entering directory '{abs_cwd}'")
         try:
             cp = run(
                 [cmd] + args,
@@ -369,6 +372,8 @@ def _run_tool(self, cmd, args=[], cwd=None, quiet=False, env={}):
                 logger.debug(e.stderr)
 
             raise RuntimeError(_s)
+        if abs_cwd:
+            print(f"Leaving directory '{abs_cwd}'")
         return cp.returncode, cp.stdout, cp.stderr
 
     def build(self):
diff --git a/tests/test_run_tool_dirnotify.py b/tests/test_run_tool_dirnotify.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1f6b1aca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_run_tool_dirnotify.py
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+import os
+from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
+import subprocess
+
+import pytest
+
+
+# ── Legacy API ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def _make_legacy_tool(work_root):
+    """Create a minimal legacy Edatool instance with enough state to call _run_tool."""
+    from edalize.edatool import Edatool
+
+    obj = object.__new__(Edatool)
+    obj.work_root = str(work_root)
+    obj.verbose = False
+    obj.stdout = None
+    obj.stderr = None
+    return obj
+
+
+@patch("edalize.edatool.run")
+def test_legacy_run_tool_prints_dir_notifications(mock_run, tmp_path, capsys):
+    mock_run.return_value = subprocess.CompletedProcess(
+        args=["true"], returncode=0, stdout=None, stderr=None
+    )
+
+    tool = _make_legacy_tool(tmp_path)
+    tool._run_tool("true")
+
+    captured = capsys.readouterr().out
+    abs_path = str(os.path.abspath(tmp_path))
+    assert f"Entering directory '{abs_path}'" in captured
+    assert f"Leaving directory '{abs_path}'" in captured
+
+
+@patch("edalize.edatool.run")
+def test_legacy_run_tool_no_leaving_on_error(mock_run, tmp_path, capsys):
+    mock_run.side_effect = FileNotFoundError("not found")
+
+    tool = _make_legacy_tool(tmp_path)
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+        tool._run_tool("nonexistent_cmd")
+
+    captured = capsys.readouterr().out
+    abs_path = str(os.path.abspath(tmp_path))
+    assert f"Entering directory '{abs_path}'" in captured
+    assert "Leaving directory" not in captured
+
+
+# ── Flow API ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def _make_flow_tool():
+    """Create a minimal Edaflow-like object to test _run_tool."""
+    from edalize.flows.edaflow import Edaflow
+
+    obj = object.__new__(Edaflow)
+    obj.verbose = False
+    obj.stdout = None
+    obj.stderr = None
+    return obj
+
+
+@patch("edalize.flows.edaflow.run")
+def test_flow_run_tool_prints_dir_notifications(mock_run, tmp_path, capsys):
+    mock_run.return_value = subprocess.CompletedProcess(
+        args=["true"], returncode=0, stdout=None, stderr=None
+    )
+
+    flow = _make_flow_tool()
+    flow._run_tool("true", cwd=str(tmp_path))
+
+    captured = capsys.readouterr().out
+    abs_path = str(os.path.abspath(tmp_path))
+    assert f"Entering directory '{abs_path}'" in captured
+    assert f"Leaving directory '{abs_path}'" in captured
+
+
+@patch("edalize.flows.edaflow.run")
+def test_flow_run_tool_no_leaving_on_error(mock_run, tmp_path, capsys):
+    mock_run.side_effect = FileNotFoundError("not found")
+
+    flow = _make_flow_tool()
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+        flow._run_tool("nonexistent_cmd", cwd=str(tmp_path))
+
+    captured = capsys.readouterr().out
+    abs_path = str(os.path.abspath(tmp_path))
+    assert f"Entering directory '{abs_path}'" in captured
+    assert "Leaving directory" not in captured
+
+
+@patch("edalize.flows.edaflow.run")
+def test_flow_run_tool_no_cwd_skips_notifications(mock_run, capsys):
+    mock_run.return_value = subprocess.CompletedProcess(
+        args=["true"], returncode=0, stdout=None, stderr=None
+    )
+
+    flow = _make_flow_tool()
+    flow._run_tool("true")
+
+    captured = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert "Entering directory" not in captured
+    assert "Leaving directory" not in captured