--- a/mercurial/util.py	Fri May 12 21:25:58 2006 -0700
+++ b/mercurial/util.py	Sat May 13 23:00:05 2006 -0700
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@
     if not os.path.isabs(name):
         name = os.path.join(root, cwd, name)
     name = os.path.normpath(name)
-    if name.startswith(rootsep):
+    if name != rootsep and name.startswith(rootsep):
         name = name[len(rootsep):]
         audit_path(name)
         return pconvert(name)