diff --git a/lisp/dired-aux.el b/lisp/dired-aux.el
index d29abf3..ac0b1a3 100644
--- a/lisp/dired-aux.el
+++ b/lisp/dired-aux.el
@@ -2486,7 +2486,7 @@ dired-kill-subdir
 	 (cur-dir (dired-current-directory))
 	 (cons (assoc-string cur-dir dired-switches-alist))
 	 buffer-read-only)
-    (if (equal cur-dir default-directory)
+    (if (equal cur-dir (expand-file-name default-directory))
 	(error "Attempt to kill top level directory"))
     (prog1
 	(if remember-marks (dired-remember-marks beg end))