Index: m_pd.h
===================================================================
--- m_pd.h	(revision 9862)
+++ m_pd.h	(working copy)
@@ -457,6 +457,7 @@
 
 /* ------------  system interface routines ------------------- */
 EXTERN int sys_isreadablefile(const char *name);
+EXTERN int sys_isabsolutepath(const char *dir);
 EXTERN void sys_bashfilename(const char *from, char *to);
 EXTERN void sys_unbashfilename(const char *from, char *to);
 EXTERN int open_via_path(const char *name, const char *ext, const char *dir,
Index: s_main.c
===================================================================
--- s_main.c	(revision 9862)
+++ s_main.c	(working copy)
@@ -491,28 +491,29 @@
     sys_libdir = gensym(sbuf2);
     sys_guidir = &s_;   /* in MSW the guipath just depends on the libdir */
 #else
-    strncpy(sbuf, sbuf2, MAXPDSTRING-30);
+    realpath(sbuf2, sbuf);
+    strncpy(sbuf2, sbuf, MAXPDSTRING-30);
     sbuf[MAXPDSTRING-30] = 0;
-    strcat(sbuf, "/lib/pd");
-    if (stat(sbuf, &statbuf) >= 0)
+    strcat(sbuf2, "/lib/pd");
+    if (stat(sbuf2, &statbuf) >= 0)
     {
             /* complicated layout: lib dir is the one we just stat-ed above */
-        sys_libdir = gensym(sbuf);
+        sys_libdir = gensym(sbuf2);
             /* gui lives in .../lib/pd/bin */
-        strncpy(sbuf, sbuf2, MAXPDSTRING-30);
+        strncpy(sbuf2, sbuf, MAXPDSTRING-30);
         sbuf[MAXPDSTRING-30] = 0;
-        strcat(sbuf, "/lib/pd/bin");
-        sys_guidir = gensym(sbuf);
+        strcat(sbuf2, "/lib/pd/bin");
+        sys_guidir = gensym(sbuf2);
     }
     else
     {
             /* simple layout: lib dir is the parent */
-        sys_libdir = gensym(sbuf2);
+        sys_libdir = gensym(sbuf);
             /* gui lives in .../bin */
-        strncpy(sbuf, sbuf2, MAXPDSTRING-30);
+        strncpy(sbuf2, sbuf, MAXPDSTRING-30);
         sbuf[MAXPDSTRING-30] = 0;
-        strcat(sbuf, "/bin");
-        sys_guidir = gensym(sbuf);
+        strcat(sbuf2, "/bin");
+        sys_guidir = gensym(sbuf2);
     }
 #endif
 }
Index: s_path.c
===================================================================
--- s_path.c	(revision 9862)
+++ s_path.c	(working copy)
@@ -69,6 +69,24 @@
     *to = 0;
 }
 
+/* test if path is absolute or relative, based on leading /, env vars, ~, etc */
+int sys_isabsolutepath(const char *dir)
+{
+    if (dir[0] == '/' || dir[0] == '~'
+#ifdef MSW
+        || dir[0] == '%' || (dir[1] == ':' && dir[2] == '/')
+#endif
+        )
+    {
+        return 1;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        return 0;            
+    }
+}
+
+
 /*******************  Utility functions used below ******************/
 
 /*!
@@ -250,11 +268,7 @@
 int sys_open_absolute(const char *name, const char* ext,
     char *dirresult, char **nameresult, unsigned int size, int bin, int *fdp)
 {
-    if (name[0] == '/' 
-#ifdef MSW
-        || (name[1] == ':' && name[2] == '/')
-#endif
-            )
+    if (sys_isabsolutepath(name))
     {
         char dirbuf[MAXPDSTRING];
         int dirlen = (strrchr(name, '/') - name);
Index: g_canvas.c
===================================================================
--- g_canvas.c	(revision 9862)
+++ g_canvas.c	(working copy)
@@ -1475,6 +1479,22 @@
     }
 }
 
+static void canvas_completepath(char *from, char *to)
+{
+    if (sys_isabsolutepath(from))
+    {
+        to[0] = '\0';
+    }
+    else
+    {   // if not absolute path, append Pd lib dir
+        strncpy(to, sys_libdir->s_name, FILENAME_MAX-4);
+        to[FILENAME_MAX-3] = '\0';
+        strcat(to, "/");
+    }
+    strncat(to, from, FILENAME_MAX-strlen(to));
+    to[FILENAME_MAX-1] = '\0';
+}
+
 static void canvas_declare(t_canvas *x, t_symbol *s, int argc, t_atom *argv)
 {
     int i;
@@ -1496,12 +1516,7 @@
         }
         else if ((argc > i+1) && !strcmp(flag, "-stdpath"))
         {
-            strncpy(strbuf, sys_libdir->s_name, MAXPDSTRING-3);
-            strbuf[MAXPDSTRING-4] = 0;
-            strcat(strbuf, "/");
-            strncpy(strbuf, atom_getsymbolarg(i+1, argc, argv)->s_name,
-                MAXPDSTRING-strlen(strbuf));
-            strbuf[MAXPDSTRING-1] = 0;
+            canvas_completepath(atom_getsymbolarg(i+1, argc, argv)->s_name, strbuf);
             e->ce_path = namelist_append(e->ce_path, strbuf, 0);
             i++;
         }
@@ -1512,12 +1527,7 @@
         }
         else if ((argc > i+1) && !strcmp(flag, "-stdlib"))
         {
-            strncpy(strbuf, sys_libdir->s_name, MAXPDSTRING-3);
-            strbuf[MAXPDSTRING-4] = 0;
-            strcat(strbuf, "/");
-            strncpy(strbuf, atom_getsymbolarg(i+1, argc, argv)->s_name,
-                MAXPDSTRING-strlen(strbuf));
-            strbuf[MAXPDSTRING-1] = 0;
+            canvas_completepath(atom_getsymbolarg(i+1, argc, argv)->s_name, strbuf);
             sys_load_lib(0, strbuf);
             i++;
         }
@@ -1564,9 +1574,16 @@
         for (nl = y->gl_env->ce_path; nl; nl = nl->nl_next)
         {
             char realname[MAXPDSTRING];
-            strncpy(realname, dir, MAXPDSTRING);
-            realname[MAXPDSTRING-3] = 0;
-            strcat(realname, "/");
+            if (sys_isabsolutepath(nl->nl_string))
+            {
+                realname[0] = '\0';
+            }
+            else
+            {   /* if not absolute path, append Pd lib dir */
+                strncpy(realname, dir, MAXPDSTRING);
+                realname[MAXPDSTRING-3] = 0;
+                strcat(realname, "/");
+            }
             strncat(realname, nl->nl_string, MAXPDSTRING-strlen(realname));
             realname[MAXPDSTRING-1] = 0;
             if ((fd = sys_trytoopenone(realname, name, ext,