diff --git a/extra/io/monitors/monitors.factor b/extra/io/monitors/monitors.factor
index fb404f24f5..863c8fc95c 100755
--- a/extra/io/monitors/monitors.factor
+++ b/extra/io/monitors/monitors.factor
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ M: monitor set-timeout (>>timeout) ;
 HOOK: (monitor) io-backend ( path recursive? mailbox -- monitor )
 
 : <monitor> ( path recursive? -- monitor )
-    >r normalize-path r> <mailbox> (monitor) ;
+    <mailbox> (monitor) ;
 
 : next-change ( monitor -- path changed )
     [ queue>> ] [ timeout ] bi mailbox-get-timeout first2 ;
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/nt/monitors/monitors.factor b/extra/io/windows/nt/monitors/monitors.factor
index 4c2277acb9..2397d207b9 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/nt/monitors/monitors.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/nt/monitors/monitors.factor
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ TUPLE: win32-monitor < monitor port ;
 
 M:: winnt (monitor) ( path recursive? mailbox -- monitor )
     [
-        path mailbox win32-monitor new-monitor
+        path normalize-path mailbox win32-monitor new-monitor
             path open-directory \ win32-monitor-port <buffered-port>
                 recursive? >>recursive
             >>port