--- Python-2.6.1/Lib/distutils/util.py  2008-06-05 05:58:24.000000000 -0700
+++ Python-2.6.1-new/Lib/distutils/util.py      2010-08-23 15:59:05.000000000 -0700
@@ -185,8 +185,7 @@
         if not os.path.isabs(pathname):
             return os.path.join(new_root, pathname)
         else:
-            return os.path.join(new_root, pathname[1:])
-
+            return os.path.join(new_root, pathname.lstrip('/'))
     elif os.name == 'nt':
         (drive, path) = os.path.splitdrive(pathname)
         if path[0] == '\\':