diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc.el
index 77f156f20ef..9780e4d53de 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc.el
@@ -941,7 +941,6 @@ for the last released version of the package."
                            (lambda (dir) (or (not (file-exists-p dir))
                                              (directory-empty-p dir))))
            (and current-prefix-arg :last-release))))
-  (setf directory (expand-file-name directory))
   (package-vc--archives-initialize)
   (let ((pkg-spec (or (package-vc--desc->spec pkg-desc)
                       (and-let* ((extras (package-desc-extras pkg-desc))