diff --git a/rippled-example.cfg b/rippled-example.cfg
index 9b60178d7..8305912cc 100644
--- a/rippled-example.cfg
+++ b/rippled-example.cfg
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@
 #
 # [debug_logfile]
 #   Specifies were a debug logfile is kept. By default, no debug log is kept.
-#   Unless absolute, the path is relative the directory from which rippled is
-#   launched.
+#   Unless absolute, the path is relative the directory containing this file.
 #
 #   Example: debug.log
 #
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/Config.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/Config.cpp
index e0215c302..6bc63d9e8 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/Config.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/Config.cpp
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ void Config::setup(const std::string& strConf, bool bTestNet, bool bQuiet)
 	{
 		// --conf=<path> : everything is relative that file.
 		CONFIG_FILE				= strConfFile;
-		CONFIG_DIR				= CONFIG_FILE;
+		CONFIG_DIR				= boost::filesystem::absolute(CONFIG_FILE);
 			CONFIG_DIR.remove_filename();
 		DATA_DIR				= CONFIG_DIR / strDbPath;
 	}