diff --git a/src/gui/folder.cpp b/src/gui/folder.cpp
index 532c38de5..b1112e13a 100644
--- a/src/gui/folder.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/folder.cpp
@@ -124,6 +124,11 @@ void Folder::checkLocalPath()
 {
     const QFileInfo fi(_definition.localPath);
 
+    _canonicalLocalPath = fi.canonicalFilePath();
+    if( !_canonicalLocalPath.endsWith('/') ) {
+        _canonicalLocalPath.append('/');
+    }
+
     if( fi.isDir() && fi.isReadable() ) {
         qDebug() << "Checked local path ok";
     } else {
@@ -161,11 +166,7 @@ QString Folder::alias() const
 
 QString Folder::path() const
 {
-    QString p(_definition.localPath);
-    if( ! p.endsWith('/') ) {
-        p.append('/');
-    }
-    return p;
+    return _canonicalLocalPath;
 }
 
 QString Folder::shortGuiLocalPath() const
@@ -198,7 +199,7 @@ void Folder::setIgnoreHiddenFiles(bool ignore)
 
 QString Folder::cleanPath()
 {
-    QString cleanedPath = QDir::cleanPath(_definition.localPath);
+    QString cleanedPath = QDir::cleanPath(_canonicalLocalPath);
 
     if(cleanedPath.length() == 3 && cleanedPath.endsWith(":/"))
         cleanedPath.remove(2,1);
@@ -621,6 +622,11 @@ void Folder::removeFromSettings() const
     settings->remove(FolderMan::escapeAlias(_definition.alias));
 }
 
+bool Folder::isFileExcludedAbsolute(const QString& fullPath) const
+{
+    return _engine->excludedFiles().isExcluded(fullPath, path(), _definition.ignoreHiddenFiles);
+}
+
 bool Folder::isFileExcludedRelative(const QString& relativePath) const
 {
     return _engine->excludedFiles().isExcluded(path() + relativePath, path(), _definition.ignoreHiddenFiles);
diff --git a/src/gui/folder.h b/src/gui/folder.h
index 762ea52b1..f5967c9b6 100644
--- a/src/gui/folder.h
+++ b/src/gui/folder.h
@@ -184,6 +184,11 @@ public:
      /// Removes the folder from the account's settings.
      void removeFromSettings() const;
 
+     /**
+      * Returns whether a file inside this folder should be excluded.
+      */
+     bool isFileExcludedAbsolute(const QString& fullPath) const;
+
      /**
       * Returns whether a file inside this folder should be excluded.
       */
@@ -283,6 +288,7 @@ private:
 
     AccountStatePtr _accountState;
     FolderDefinition _definition;
+    QString _canonicalLocalPath; // As returned with QFileInfo:canonicalFilePath.  Always ends with "/"
 
     SyncResult _syncResult;
     QScopedPointer<SyncEngine> _engine;
diff --git a/src/gui/folderwatcher.cpp b/src/gui/folderwatcher.cpp
index c115611bb..30809c82f 100644
--- a/src/gui/folderwatcher.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/folderwatcher.cpp
@@ -41,9 +41,7 @@ FolderWatcher::FolderWatcher(const QString &root, Folder* folder)
     : QObject(folder),
       _folder(folder)
 {
-    _canonicalFolderPath = QFileInfo(root).canonicalFilePath();
-
-    _d.reset(new FolderWatcherPrivate(this, _canonicalFolderPath));
+    _d.reset(new FolderWatcherPrivate(this, root));
 
     _timer.start();
 }
@@ -57,17 +55,10 @@ bool FolderWatcher::pathIsIgnored( const QString& path )
     if( !_folder ) return false;
 
 #ifndef OWNCLOUD_TEST
-    QString relPath = path;
-    if (relPath.startsWith(_canonicalFolderPath)) {
-        relPath = relPath.remove(0, _canonicalFolderPath.length()+1);
-        if (_folder->isFileExcludedRelative(relPath)) {
-            qDebug() << "* Ignoring file" << relPath << "in" << _canonicalFolderPath;
-            return true;
-        }
+    if (_folder->isFileExcludedAbsolute(path)) {
+        qDebug() << "* Ignoring file" << path;
+        return true;
     }
-    // there could be an odd watch event not being inside the _canonicalFolderPath
-    // We will just not ignore it then, who knows.
-
 #endif
     return false;
 }
diff --git a/src/gui/folderwatcher.h b/src/gui/folderwatcher.h
index 9b0d17471..15fe223a4 100644
--- a/src/gui/folderwatcher.h
+++ b/src/gui/folderwatcher.h
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ private:
     QTime _timer;
     QSet<QString> _lastPaths;
     Folder* _folder;
-    QString _canonicalFolderPath;
 
     friend class FolderWatcherPrivate;
 };