diff --git a/lisp/scratch-pkgs.el b/lisp/scratch-pkgs.el
index c029b54..6cbcb93 100644
--- a/lisp/scratch-pkgs.el
+++ b/lisp/scratch-pkgs.el
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@
 
 (declare-function no-littering-expand-var-file-name "no-littering")
 (defcustom scratch-pkgs-dir
-  (file-name-directory (if (featurep 'no-littering)
-                           (no-littering-expand-var-file-name "scratch-pkgs")
-                         (expand-file-name "var/scratch-pkgs" user-emacs-directory)))
+  (file-name-as-directory (if (featurep 'no-littering)
+                              (no-littering-expand-var-file-name "scratch-pkgs")
+                            (expand-file-name "var/scratch-pkgs" user-emacs-directory)))
   "Where scratches are saved."
   :group 'scratch-pkgs
   :type 'directory)