diff --git a/collects/compiler/cm.ss b/collects/compiler/cm.ss
index fd40e5d023..3381b8b3cc 100644
--- a/collects/compiler/cm.ss
+++ b/collects/compiler/cm.ss
@@ -215,15 +215,11 @@
                   ;; (cons 'ext rel-path) => a non-module file (check date)
                   ;; rel-path => a module file name (check transitive dates)
                   (define ext? (and (pair? p) (eq? 'ext (car p))))
-                  (define d (let ([p (main-collects-relative->path (if ext? (cdr p) p))])
-                              (if (bytes? p)
-                                  (bytes->path p)
-                                  p)))
+                  (define d (main-collects-relative->path (if ext? (cdr p) p)))
                   (define t
-                    (cond [(not (path? d)) #f] ;; shouldn't happen
-                          [ext? (try-file-time d)]
-                          [else (compile-root mode d up-to-date
-                                              read-src-syntax)]))
+                    (if ext?
+                      (try-file-time d)
+                      (compile-root mode d up-to-date read-src-syntax)))
                   (and t (> t path-zo-time)
                        (begin (trace-printf "newer: ~a (~a > ~a)..."
                                             d t path-zo-time)