diff --git a/build/php.m4 b/build/php.m4
index 94556cf648f..e82e856667e 100644
--- a/build/php.m4
+++ b/build/php.m4
@@ -54,7 +54,11 @@ AC_DEFUN([PHP_EXPAND_PATH],[
     changequote({,})
     ep_dir=$(echo $1|$SED 's%/*[^/][^/]*/*$%%')
     changequote([,])
-    ep_realdir=$(cd "$ep_dir" && pwd)
+    if test -z $ep_dir ; then
+      ep_realdir=$(pwd)
+    else
+      ep_realdir=$(cd "$ep_dir" && pwd)
+    fi
     $2="$ep_realdir"/$(basename "$1")
   fi
 ])