diff --git a/src/browser.c b/src/browser.c
index 47cce33cb75c3f1f4311b609ba885a97c1ecc8ca..6e16aed8eb26d8191c6509037a8f126b30aa4796 100644
--- a/src/browser.c
+++ b/src/browser.c
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ char *do_browser(char *path, DIR *dir)
 		/* TRANSLATORS: This refers to the option --operatingdir,
 		 * not to --restricted. */
 		statusline(ALERT, _("Can't go outside of %s "
-				"in confined mode"), operating_dir);
+				"in confined mode"), full_operating_dir);
 		free(new_path);
 		continue;
 	    }
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ char *do_browser(char *path, DIR *dir)
 	     * directory outside the operating directory. */
 	    if (check_operating_dir(filelist[selected], FALSE)) {
 		statusline(ALERT, _("Can't go outside of %s "
-				"in confined mode"), operating_dir);
+				"in confined mode"), full_operating_dir);
 		continue;
 	    }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/files.c b/src/files.c
index f8af4ec2992264ede43139eceac67b666e2f99f2..6e17a87cada9c9a0a9ab218d6e08a408d45e20d8 100644
--- a/src/files.c
+++ b/src/files.c
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ bool open_buffer(const char *filename, bool undoable)
 #ifndef DISABLE_OPERATINGDIR
     if (check_operating_dir(filename, FALSE)) {
 	statusline(ALERT, _("Can't insert file from outside of %s"),
-			operating_dir);
+				full_operating_dir);
 	return FALSE;
     }
 #endif
@@ -1777,7 +1777,7 @@ bool write_file(const char *name, FILE *f_open, bool tmp, append_type
     /* If we're writing a temporary file, we're probably going outside
      * the operating directory, so skip the operating directory test. */
     if (!tmp && check_operating_dir(realname, FALSE)) {
-	statusline(ALERT, _("Can't write outside of %s"), operating_dir);
+	statusline(ALERT, _("Can't write outside of %s"), full_operating_dir);
 	goto cleanup_and_exit;
     }
 #endif