diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/lex.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/lex.go
index 91280e02e5..89b442796b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/lex.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/lex.go
@@ -729,11 +729,7 @@ func importfile(f *Val, indent []byte) {
 		if localimport != "" {
 			prefix = localimport
 		}
-		cleanbuf := prefix
-		cleanbuf += "/"
-		cleanbuf += path_
-		cleanbuf = path.Clean(cleanbuf)
-		path_ = cleanbuf
+		path_ = path.Join(prefix, path_)
 
 		if isbadimport(path_) {
 			return