diff --git a/beets/autotag/__init__.py b/beets/autotag/__init__.py
index f263256aa..d615e0116 100644
--- a/beets/autotag/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/autotag/__init__.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ def _sorted_walk(path):
     files = []
     for base in os.listdir(path):
         cur = os.path.join(path, base)
-        if os.path.isdir(cur):
+        if os.path.isdir(library._syspath(cur)):
             dirs.append(base)
         else:
             files.append(base)
diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index bbc738628..7d3e15af6 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -138,8 +138,8 @@ def _mkdirall(path):
     parent).
     """
     for ancestor in _ancestry(path):
-        if not os.path.isdir(ancestor):
-            os.mkdir(ancestor)
+        if not os.path.isdir(_syspath(ancestor)):
+            os.mkdir(_syspath(ancestor))
 
 def _components(path, pathmod=None):
     """Return a list of the path components in path. For instance:
@@ -973,7 +973,7 @@ class Library(BaseLibrary):
     def remove(self, item, delete=False):
         self.conn.execute('DELETE FROM items WHERE id=?', (item.id,))
         if delete:
-            os.unlink(item.path)
+            os.unlink(_syspath(item.path))
 
 
     # Browsing.
diff --git a/beets/ui/commands.py b/beets/ui/commands.py
index 438f769cc..a90b31675 100644
--- a/beets/ui/commands.py
+++ b/beets/ui/commands.py
@@ -315,9 +315,12 @@ def read_albums(paths):
     """A generator yielding all the albums (as sets of Items) found in
     the user-specified list of paths.
     """
+    # Use absolute paths.
+    paths = [library._normpath(path) for path in paths]
+
     # Check the user-specified directories.
     for path in paths:
-        if not os.path.isdir(path):
+        if not os.path.isdir(library._syspath(path)):
             raise ui.UserError('not a directory: ' + path)
     # Look for saved progress.
     resume_dirs = {}
@@ -486,7 +489,7 @@ def apply_choices(lib, copy, write, art, delete):
             # Finally, delete old files.
             if copy and delete:
                 for old_path in old_paths:
-                    os.remove(old_path)
+                    os.remove(library._syspath(old_path))
 
         # Update progress.
         progress_set(toppath, path)
@@ -513,7 +516,7 @@ def simple_import(lib, paths, copy, delete):
 
         if copy and delete:
             for old_path in old_paths:
-                os.remove(old_path)
+                os.remove(library._syspath(old_path))
 
         log.info('added album: %s - %s' % (album.artist, album.album))
 
diff --git a/test/test_files.py b/test/test_files.py
index b465efbda..b283e7241 100644
--- a/test/test_files.py
+++ b/test/test_files.py
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ class ArtFileTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         # Make library and item.
         self.lib = beets.library.Library(':memory:')
-        self.libdir = os.path.join('rsrc', 'testlibdir')
+        self.libdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.join('rsrc', 'testlibdir'))
         self.lib.directory = self.libdir
         self.i = item()
         self.i.path = self.lib.destination(self.i)