diff --git a/src/libostree/ostree-sysroot.c b/src/libostree/ostree-sysroot.c
index 303d86b85a..3befd63e22 100644
--- a/src/libostree/ostree-sysroot.c
+++ b/src/libostree/ostree-sysroot.c
@@ -2243,7 +2243,16 @@ ostree_sysroot_deployment_unlock (OstreeSysroot *self, OstreeDeployment *deploym
                         deployment, _OSTREE_SYSROOT_DEPLOYMENT_RUNSTATE_FLAG_DEVELOPMENT)
                   : _ostree_sysroot_get_runstate_path (
                         deployment, _OSTREE_SYSROOT_DEPLOYMENT_RUNSTATE_FLAG_TRANSIENT);
-        g_autofree char *devpath_parent = g_path_get_dirname (devpath);
+        
+        g_autofree char *devpath_parent = "";
+        if (dir_or_file_path[strlen (devpath) - 1] == G_DIR_SEPARATOR)
+          {
+            g_autofree char *modifed_devpath = g_strdup (devpath);
+            modifed_devpath[strlen (modifed_devpath) - 1] = '\0';
+            devpath_parent = g_path_get_dirname (modifed_dir);
+          }
+        else
+          devpath_parent = g_path_get_dirname (dir_or_file_path);
 
         if (!glnx_shutil_mkdir_p_at (AT_FDCWD, devpath_parent, 0755, cancellable, error))
           return FALSE;