diff --git a/pelican/tools/templates/Makefile.in b/pelican/tools/templates/Makefile.in
index 1445f0b0..4c5a4fcb 100644
--- a/pelican/tools/templates/Makefile.in
+++ b/pelican/tools/templates/Makefile.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 PELICAN=$pelican
 PELICANOPTS=$pelicanopts
 
-BASEDIR=$$(pwd)
+BASEDIR=$$(CURDIR)
 INPUTDIR=$$(BASEDIR)/content
 OUTPUTDIR=$$(BASEDIR)/output
 CONFFILE=$$(BASEDIR)/pelicanconf.py
diff --git a/pelican/tools/templates/develop_server.sh.in b/pelican/tools/templates/develop_server.sh.in
index b1e3b60c..3e97610b 100755
--- a/pelican/tools/templates/develop_server.sh.in
+++ b/pelican/tools/templates/develop_server.sh.in
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/bin/bash
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
 ##
 # This section should match your Makefile
 ##
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ function start_up(){
   python -m SimpleHTTPServer &
   echo $$! > $$SRV_PID
   cd $$BASEDIR
+  sleep 1 && echo 'Pelican and SimpleHTTPServer processes now running in background.'
 }
 
 ###