diff --git a/libs/pbd/filesystem.cc b/libs/pbd/filesystem.cc
index 4f0c8a204a..4e39374b98 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/filesystem.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/filesystem.cc
@@ -211,10 +211,10 @@ extension (const path & p)
 
 }
 
-path
-get_absolute_path (const path & p)
+std::string
+get_absolute_path (const std::string & p)
 {
-	Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File> f = Gio::File::create_for_path (p.to_string ());
+	Glib::RefPtr<Gio::File> f = Gio::File::create_for_path (p);
 	return f->get_path ();
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem.h
index 6f84606d5d..f09c400f2e 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem.h
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem.h
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ std::string extension (const path& p);
  * Take a (possibly) relative path and make it absolute
  * @return An absolute path
  */
-path get_absolute_path (const path &);
+std::string get_absolute_path (const std::string &);
 
 /**
  * Find out if `needle' is a file or directory within the