diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/startup_fsm.cc b/gtk2_ardour/startup_fsm.cc
index 46126a31a4..7601b6c206 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/startup_fsm.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/startup_fsm.cc
@@ -556,13 +556,24 @@ StartupFSM::get_session_parameters_from_command_line (bool new_session_required)
 }
 
 bool
-StartupFSM::get_session_parameters_from_path (string const & path, string const & template_name, bool new_session_required)
+StartupFSM::get_session_parameters_from_path (string const & path_, string const & template_name, bool new_session_required)
 {
-	if (path.empty()) {
+	if (path_.empty()) {
 		/* use GUI to ask the user */
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	string path (path_);
+
+	/*  ... did the  user give us a path or just a name? */
+
+	if (path.find (G_DIR_SEPARATOR) == string::npos) {
+		/* user gave session name with no path info, use
+		   default session folder.
+		*/
+		path = Glib::build_filename (Config->get_default_session_parent_dir (), path);
+	}
+
 	if (Glib::file_test (path.c_str(), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
 
 		session_is_new = false;
@@ -613,21 +624,10 @@ StartupFSM::get_session_parameters_from_path (string const & path, string const
 
 	}
 
-	/*  Everything after this involves a new session
-	 *
-	 *  ... did the  user give us a path or just a name?
-	 */
+	/* Everything after this involves a new session */
 
-	if (path.find (G_DIR_SEPARATOR) == string::npos) {
-		/* user gave session name with no path info, use
-		   default session folder.
-		*/
-		session_name = ARDOUR_COMMAND_LINE::session_name;
-		session_path = Glib::build_filename (Config->get_default_session_parent_dir (), session_name);
-	} else {
-		session_name = basename_nosuffix (path);
-		session_path = path;
-	}
+	session_name = basename_nosuffix (path);
+	session_path = path;
 
 	session_template = string ();