diff --git a/lib/remove.c b/lib/remove.c
index f971d1af45c..8219caa37d8 100644
--- a/lib/remove.c
+++ b/lib/remove.c
@@ -219,6 +219,9 @@ xbps_remove_binary_pkg(const char *pkgname, bool update)
 
 	assert(pkgname != NULL);
 
+	if (strcmp(rootdir, "") == 0)
+		rootdir = "/";
+
 	if (rootdir) {
 		if (chdir(rootdir) == -1)
 			return errno;
diff --git a/lib/unpack.c b/lib/unpack.c
index 66e4f0f697b..92ebbb69cea 100644
--- a/lib/unpack.c
+++ b/lib/unpack.c
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@ unpack_archive_fini(struct archive *ar, prop_dictionary_t pkg)
 	rootdir = xbps_get_rootdir();
 	flags = xbps_get_flags();
 
+	if (strcmp(rootdir, "") == 0)
+		rootdir = "/";
+
 	if (rootdir) {
 		if (chdir(rootdir) == -1)
 			return errno;