diff --git a/mkfs/main.c b/mkfs/main.c
index 52bb1dad..5987a963 100644
--- a/mkfs/main.c
+++ b/mkfs/main.c
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@
 #include "mkfs/common.h"
 #include "fsfeatures.h"
 
+int path_cat_out(char *out, const char *p1, const char *p2);
+
 static u64 index_cnt = 2;
 static int verbose = 1;
 
@@ -941,14 +943,28 @@ static int traverse_directory(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 			}
 
 			if (S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) {
+				char tmp[PATH_MAX];
+
 				dir_entry = malloc(sizeof(struct directory_name_entry));
 				if (!dir_entry) {
 					ret = -ENOMEM;
 					goto fail;
 				}
 				dir_entry->dir_name = cur_file->d_name;
-				dir_entry->path = make_path(parent_dir_entry->path,
-							    cur_file->d_name);
+				if (path_cat_out(tmp, parent_dir_entry->path,
+							cur_file->d_name)) {
+					error("invalid path: %s/%s",
+							parent_dir_entry->path,
+							cur_file->d_name);
+					ret = -EINVAL;
+					goto fail;
+				}
+				dir_entry->path = strdup(tmp);
+				if (!dir_entry->path) {
+					error("not enough memory to store path");
+					ret = -ENOMEM;
+					goto fail;
+				}
 				dir_entry->inum = cur_inum;
 				list_add_tail(&dir_entry->list,	&dir_head->list);
 			} else if (S_ISREG(st.st_mode)) {