diff --git a/lib/configure.c b/lib/configure.c
index 7b301aaba96..7e7ab5c677e 100644
--- a/lib/configure.c
+++ b/lib/configure.c
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ xbps_configure_pkg(const char *pkgname, const char *version)
 		return errno;
 
 	if (access(buf, R_OK) == 0) {
+		if (strcmp(rootdir, "") == 0)
+			rootdir = "/";
+
 		if (chdir(rootdir) == -1)
 			return errno;
 
diff --git a/lib/unpack.c b/lib/unpack.c
index 30c96b9e134..36a34ff93ca 100644
--- a/lib/unpack.c
+++ b/lib/unpack.c
@@ -141,6 +141,9 @@ unpack_archive_fini(struct archive *ar, prop_dictionary_t pkg,
 	rootdir = xbps_get_rootdir();
 	flags = xbps_get_flags();
 
+	if (strcmp(rootdir, "") == 0)
+		rootdir = "/";
+
 	if (chdir(rootdir) == -1)
 		return errno;