diff --git a/src/CHANGELOG b/src/CHANGELOG
index c7da82c9e..fd5fd7ae0 100644
--- a/src/CHANGELOG
+++ b/src/CHANGELOG
@@ -156,6 +156,8 @@ ECL 8.9.0:
 
  - Negative and nonnegative zeros are not EQL.
 
+ - ENSURE-DIRECTORIES first has to merge the path with *DEFAULT-PATH...*
+
 ;;; Local Variables: ***
 ;;; mode:text ***
 ;;; fill-column:79 ***
diff --git a/src/lsp/mislib.lsp b/src/lsp/mislib.lsp
index 7d753284b..792f90d41 100644
--- a/src/lsp/mislib.lsp
+++ b/src/lsp/mislib.lsp
@@ -260,6 +260,7 @@ Sunday is the *last* day of the week!!"
 	      (wild-pathname-p a-pathname :host)
 	      (wild-pathname-p a-pathname :device))
       (error 'file-error :pathname a-pathname))
+    (setf a-pathname (merge-pathnames a-pathname))
     (dolist (item (pathname-directory a-pathname))
       (setf d (nconc d (list item)))
       (let ((p (make-pathname :name nil :type nil :directory d