diff --git a/tmux.c b/tmux.c
index e01017c9..7bce10ec 100644
--- a/tmux.c
+++ b/tmux.c
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ parseenvironment(void)
 char *
 makesocketpath(const char *label)
 {
-	char		base[MAXPATHLEN], *path, *s;
+	char		base[MAXPATHLEN], realbase[MAXPATHLEN], *path, *s;
 	struct stat	sb;
 	u_int		uid;
 
@@ -183,7 +183,10 @@ makesocketpath(const char *label)
 		return (NULL);
 	}
 
-	xasprintf(&path, "%s/%s", base, label);
+	if (realpath(base, realbase) == NULL)
+		strlcpy(realbase, base, sizeof realbase);
+
+	xasprintf(&path, "%s/%s", realbase, label);
 	return (path);
 }
 
@@ -384,8 +387,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 	free(label);
-	if (realpath(path, socket_path) == NULL)
-		strlcpy(socket_path, path, sizeof socket_path);
+	strlcpy(socket_path, path, sizeof socket_path);
 	free(path);
 
 	/* Set process title. */