diff --git a/pkgs/racket-pkgs/racket-doc/pkg/scribblings/apis.scrbl b/pkgs/racket-pkgs/racket-doc/pkg/scribblings/apis.scrbl
index 08c08e0d4f..28319544ef 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-pkgs/racket-doc/pkg/scribblings/apis.scrbl
+++ b/pkgs/racket-pkgs/racket-doc/pkg/scribblings/apis.scrbl
@@ -21,9 +21,12 @@ building blocks and local-database support.
 The @racketmodname[pkg] module provides a programmatic interface
 to the @exec{raco pkg} sub-subcommands.
 
- Each-long form option of the command-line interface is keyword
+ Each-long form option of the command-line interface is a keyword
  argument to the functions described below. An argument corresponding to @DFlag{type}, @DFlag{deps},
- @DFlag{format}, or @DFlag{scope} accepts its argument as a symbol. All other options
+ @DFlag{format}, or @DFlag{scope} accepts its argument as a symbol.
+ An argument corresponding to @DFlag{scope} is also allowed to be a path string,
+ as would be provided to @DFlag{scope-dir}.
+ Options without argument correspond to keyword arguments that
  accept booleans, where @racket[#t] is equivalent to the presence of
  the option.
 
diff --git a/racket/collects/pkg/main.rkt b/racket/collects/pkg/main.rkt
index 4e251e44bf..d44335a047 100644
--- a/racket/collects/pkg/main.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/pkg/main.rkt
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@
        (cond
         [installation 'installation]
         [user 'user]
+        [(path-string? given-scope) 
+         ;; This can happens when a #:scope value is given a path programmatically.
+         ;; Make it easier on clients by alloing that.
+         (path->complete-path given-scope)]
         [scope-dir (path->complete-path scope-dir)]
         [else
          (define default-scope (default-pkg-scope))