diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index f9c400ad3062d9..3cd10aeb902840 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -1833,9 +1833,10 @@ static int git_config_from_blob_ref(config_fn_t fn,
 char *git_system_config(void)
 {
 	char *system_config = xstrdup_or_null(getenv("GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM"));
-	if (system_config)
-		return system_config;
-	return system_path(ETC_GITCONFIG);
+	if (!system_config)
+		system_config = system_path(ETC_GITCONFIG);
+	normalize_path_copy(system_config, system_config);
+	return system_config;
 }
 
 void git_global_config(char **user_out, char **xdg_out)