diff --git a/src/tools/boostbook.jam b/src/tools/boostbook.jam
index e2823f004..fec044900 100644
--- a/src/tools/boostbook.jam
+++ b/src/tools/boostbook.jam
@@ -99,14 +99,8 @@ rule init ( docbook-xsl-dir ? : docbook-dtd-dir ? : boostbook-dir ? )
     for local dir in $(search-dirs) {
         boostbook-dtd-dir += [ path.glob $(dir) : dtd ] ;
     }
-    if $(boostbook-xsl-dir)
-    {        
-        .boostbook-xsl-dir = [ path.make $(boostbook-xsl-dir[1]) ] ;
-    }
-    if $(boostbook-dtd-dir)
-    {        
-        .boostbook-dtd-dir = [ path.make $(boostbook-dtd-dir[1]) ] ;
-    }
+    .boostbook-xsl-dir = $(boostbook-xsl-dir[1]) ;
+    .boostbook-dtd-dir = $(boostbook-dtd-dir[1]) ;
     
     
     if ! $(.boostbook-xsl-dir) || ! $(.boostbook-dtd-dir)
diff --git a/src/util/path.jam b/src/util/path.jam
index 5d1c0c546..cedff58a8 100644
--- a/src/util/path.jam
+++ b/src/util/path.jam
@@ -140,7 +140,16 @@ rule reverse ( path )
 #
 local rule join-imp ( elements + )
 {
-    return [ NORMALIZE_PATH $(elements) ] ;
+    local result = ;
+    if ! $(elements[1])
+    {
+        result = [ NORMALIZE_PATH "/" "$(elements[2-])" ] ;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        result = [ NORMALIZE_PATH "$(elements)" ] ;
+    }
+    return $(result) ;
 }
 
 #