diff --git a/libs/pbd/filesystem.cc b/libs/pbd/filesystem.cc
index 09579cf3cc..58e1a37a72 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/filesystem.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/filesystem.cc
@@ -235,15 +235,15 @@ equivalent_paths (const std::string& a, const std::string& b)
  *  @return true if it is.
  */
 bool
-path_is_within (path const & haystack, path needle)
+path_is_within (std::string const & haystack, std::string needle)
 {
 	while (1) {
-		if (equivalent_paths (haystack.to_string(), needle.to_string())) {
+		if (equivalent_paths (haystack, needle)) {
 			return true;
 		}
 
-		needle = needle.branch_path ();
-		if (needle.to_string().empty() || needle.to_string() == "/") {
+		needle = Glib::path_get_dirname (needle);
+		if (needle == "." || needle == "/") {
 			break;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem.h
index 68fa310930..d37011a864 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem.h
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem.h
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ std::string extension (const path& p);
 
 path get_absolute_path (const path &);
 
-bool path_is_within (const path &, path);	
+bool path_is_within (const std::string &, std::string);
 
 /**
  * @return true if p1 and p2 both resolve to the same file