diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/api/directory.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/api/directory.py
index f871862ab..ecbd92814 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/api/directory.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/api/directory.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import json
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any, Literal
 
 from clan_lib.cmd import RunOpts, run
@@ -129,3 +130,15 @@ def get_clan_directory_relative(flake: Flake) -> str:
 
     _, relative_dir = get_clan_directories(flake)
     return relative_dir
+
+
+def get_clan_dir(flake: Flake) -> Path:
+    """
+    Get the effective clan directory, respecting the clan.directory configuration.
+    Args:
+        flake: The clan flake
+    Returns:
+        Path to the effective clan directory
+    """
+    relative_clan_dir = get_clan_directory_relative(flake)
+    return flake.path / relative_clan_dir if relative_clan_dir else flake.path
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/api/directory_test.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/api/directory_test.py
index 8c2ac9668..2e2ecc7b2 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/api/directory_test.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/api/directory_test.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 import pytest
 from clan_cli.tests.fixtures_flakes import FlakeForTest
 
-from clan_lib.api.directory import get_clan_directory_relative
+from clan_lib.api.directory import get_clan_dir, get_clan_directory_relative
 from clan_lib.errors import ClanError
 from clan_lib.flake import Flake
 
@@ -46,3 +46,34 @@ def test_get_relative_clan_directory_invalid_flake() -> None:
 
     with pytest.raises(ClanError):
         get_clan_directory_relative(invalid_flake)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.with_core
+def test_get_clan_dir_default(
+    test_flake_with_core: FlakeForTest,
+) -> None:
+    flake = Flake(str(test_flake_with_core.path))
+    clan_dir = get_clan_dir(flake)
+
+    # Default configuration should return the full path
+    assert clan_dir == flake.path
+
+
+@pytest.mark.with_core
+def test_get_clan_dir_custom(
+    clan_flake: Callable[..., Flake],
+) -> None:
+    flake = clan_flake(
+        raw="""
+{
+  directory = ./direct-config;
+}
+"""
+    )
+
+    test_subdir = Path(flake.path) / "direct-config"
+    test_subdir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+
+    relative_dir = get_clan_dir(flake)
+
+    assert relative_dir == test_subdir