diff --git a/src/helma/scripting/rhino/extensions/FileObject.java b/src/helma/scripting/rhino/extensions/FileObject.java
index 3f8a783f..4638a45e 100644
--- a/src/helma/scripting/rhino/extensions/FileObject.java
+++ b/src/helma/scripting/rhino/extensions/FileObject.java
@@ -50,11 +50,15 @@ public class FileObject extends ScriptableObject {
     }
 
     protected FileObject(String fileName) {
-        file = new File(fileName);
+        // always convert to absolute file straight away, since
+        // relative file name handling is pretty broken in java.io.File
+        file = new File(fileName).getAbsoluteFile();
     }
 
     protected FileObject(String pathName, String fileName) {
-        file = new File(pathName, fileName);
+        // always convert to absolute file straight away, since
+        // relative file name handling is pretty broken in java.io.File
+        file = new File(pathName, fileName).getAbsoluteFile();
     }
 
     public static FileObject fileObjCtor(Context cx, Object[] args,