diff --git a/collects/scribblings/reference/paths.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/reference/paths.scrbl
index 9be542c5ff..15d7c7b612 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/reference/paths.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/reference/paths.scrbl
@@ -556,11 +556,12 @@ path contains an embedded path for a non-existent directory,
 or if an infinite cycle of soft links is detected.}
 
 @defproc[(path-only [path (or/c path-string? path-for-some-system?)])
-         path-for-some-system?]{
+         (or/c #f path-for-some-system?)]{
 
 If @racket[path] is a filename, the file's path is returned. If
 @racket[path] is syntactically a directory, @racket[path] is returned
-(as a path, if it was a string).}
+(as a path, if it was a string). If @racket[path] has no directory part
+@racket[#f] is returned.}
 
 @defproc[(simple-form-path [path path-string?]) path?]{
 
diff --git a/collects/tests/racket/pathlib.rktl b/collects/tests/racket/pathlib.rktl
index bf2aa92745..a244661f01 100644
--- a/collects/tests/racket/pathlib.rktl
+++ b/collects/tests/racket/pathlib.rktl
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 
 ;; ----------------------------------------
 
+(rtest path-only "a" #f)
 (rtest path-only "a/b" (string->path "a/"))
 (rtest path-only "a/b/" (string->path "a/b/"))
 (rtest path-only "a/.." (string->path "a/.."))