diff --git a/racket/collects/setup/dirs.rkt b/racket/collects/setup/dirs.rkt
index 7966062bd2..77103764a1 100644
--- a/racket/collects/setup/dirs.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/setup/dirs.rkt
@@ -117,7 +117,10 @@
 ;; Helpers
 
 (define (single p) (if p (list p) null))
-(define (extra a l) (if (and a (not (member a l))) (cons a l) l))
+(define (extra a l) (if (and a (not (member (path->directory-path a)
+                                            (map path->directory-path l))))
+                        (append l (list a))
+                        l))
 (define (combine-search l default)
   ;; Replace #f in list with default path:
   (if l