diff --git a/common/content/io.js b/common/content/io.js
index 8423e5ff..36bade0e 100644
--- a/common/content/io.js
+++ b/common/content/io.js
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ function IO() //{{{
     {
         let path = ioManager.getFile(head);
         path.appendRelativePath(ioManager.expandPath(tail)); // FIXME: should only expand env vars and normalise path separators
-        path.normalize();
+        try { path.normalize(); }
+        catch(e) {}
         return path;
     }