diff --git a/src/fileio.c b/src/fileio.c
index 2287025362a..879c3847558 100644
--- a/src/fileio.c
+++ b/src/fileio.c
@@ -2691,7 +2691,11 @@ This is what happens in interactive use with M-x.  */)
   CHECK_STRING (file);
   CHECK_STRING (newname);
   file = Fexpand_file_name (file, Qnil);
-  newname = Fexpand_file_name (newname, Qnil);
+
+  if (!NILP (Ffile_directory_p (newname)))
+    newname = Fexpand_file_name (Ffile_name_nondirectory (file), newname);
+  else
+    newname = Fexpand_file_name (newname, Qnil);
 
   /* If the file name has special constructs in it,
      call the corresponding file handler.  */
@@ -2774,7 +2778,11 @@ This is what happens in interactive use with M-x.  */)
   CHECK_STRING (file);
   CHECK_STRING (newname);
   file = Fexpand_file_name (file, Qnil);
-  newname = Fexpand_file_name (newname, Qnil);
+
+  if (!NILP (Ffile_directory_p (newname)))
+    newname = Fexpand_file_name (Ffile_name_nondirectory (file), newname);
+  else
+    newname = Fexpand_file_name (newname, Qnil);
 
   /* If the file name has special constructs in it,
      call the corresponding file handler.  */
@@ -2841,7 +2849,11 @@ This happens for interactive use with M-x.  */)
      we want to permit links to relative file names.  */
   if (SREF (filename, 0) == '~')
     filename = Fexpand_file_name (filename, Qnil);
-  linkname = Fexpand_file_name (linkname, Qnil);
+
+  if (!NILP (Ffile_directory_p (linkname)))
+    linkname = Fexpand_file_name (Ffile_name_nondirectory (file), linkname);
+  else
+    linkname = Fexpand_file_name (linkname, Qnil);
 
   /* If the file name has special constructs in it,
      call the corresponding file handler.  */