diff --git a/Source/cmGetFilenameComponentCommand.cxx b/Source/cmGetFilenameComponentCommand.cxx
index fd1ad601f..1d7fefcee 100644
--- a/Source/cmGetFilenameComponentCommand.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGetFilenameComponentCommand.cxx
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ bool cmGetFilenameComponentCommand
     }
   std::string storeArgs;
   std::string programArgs;
-  if (args[2] == "PATH")
+  if (args[2] == "DIRECTORY" || args[2] == "PATH")
     {
     result = cmSystemTools::GetFilenamePath(filename);
     }
diff --git a/Source/cmGetFilenameComponentCommand.h b/Source/cmGetFilenameComponentCommand.h
index f294daa0d..09af3325a 100644
--- a/Source/cmGetFilenameComponentCommand.h
+++ b/Source/cmGetFilenameComponentCommand.h
@@ -64,12 +64,13 @@ public:
     return
       "  get_filename_component(<VAR> <FileName> <COMP> [CACHE])\n"
       "Set <VAR> to a component of <FileName>, where <COMP> is one of:\n"
-      " PATH      = Directory without file name\n"
+      " DIRECTORY = Directory without file name\n"
       " NAME      = File name without directory\n"
       " EXT       = File name longest extension (.b.c from d/a.b.c)\n"
       " NAME_WE   = File name without directory or longest extension\n"
       " ABSOLUTE  = Full path to file\n"
       " REALPATH  = Full path to existing file with symlinks resolved\n"
+      " PATH      = Legacy alias for DIRECTORY (use for CMake <= 2.8.11)\n"
       "Paths are returned with forward slashes and have no trailing slahes. "
       "The longest file extension is always considered. "
       "If the optional CACHE argument is specified, the result variable is "
diff --git a/Tests/Complex/Executable/complex.cxx b/Tests/Complex/Executable/complex.cxx
index 27d70adc8..e904f2897 100644
--- a/Tests/Complex/Executable/complex.cxx
+++ b/Tests/Complex/Executable/complex.cxx
@@ -634,86 +634,6 @@ int main()
     cmPassed("WHILE command is working");
     }
 
-  // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-  // Test FIND_FILE, FIND_PATH and various GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT combinations
-
-#ifndef FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME
-  cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-         "FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME is not defined.");
-#else
-  if((strcmp(FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME, "Complex") == 0) ||
-     (strcmp(FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME, "ComplexOneConfig") == 0))
-    {
-    cmPassed("FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME == ", FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME);
-    }
-  else
-    {
-    cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-           "FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME == ", FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME);
-    }
-#endif
-
-#ifndef FILENAME_VAR_NAME
-  cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-         "FILENAME_VAR_NAME is not defined.");
-#else
-  if(strcmp(FILENAME_VAR_NAME, "VarTests.cmake") != 0)
-    {
-    cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-           "FILENAME_VAR_NAME == ", FILENAME_VAR_NAME);
-    }
-  else
-    {
-    cmPassed("FILENAME_VAR_NAME == ", FILENAME_VAR_NAME);
-    }
-#endif
-
-#ifndef FILENAME_VAR_EXT
-  cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-         "FILENAME_VAR_EXT is not defined.");
-#else
-  if(strcmp(FILENAME_VAR_EXT, ".cmake") != 0)
-    {
-    cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-           "FILENAME_VAR_EXT == ", FILENAME_VAR_EXT);
-    }
-  else
-    {
-    cmPassed("FILENAME_VAR_EXT == ", FILENAME_VAR_EXT);
-    }
-#endif
-
-#ifndef FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE
-  cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-         "FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE is not defined.");
-#else
-  if(strcmp(FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE, "VarTests") != 0)
-    {
-    cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-           "FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE == ", FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE);
-    }
-  else
-    {
-    cmPassed("FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE == ", FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE);
-    }
-#endif
-
-#ifndef PATH_VAR_NAME
-  cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-         "PATH_VAR_NAME is not defined.");
-#else
-  if((strcmp(PATH_VAR_NAME, "Complex") == 0) ||
-     (strcmp(PATH_VAR_NAME, "ComplexOneConfig") == 0))
-    {
-    cmPassed("PATH_VAR_NAME == ", PATH_VAR_NAME);
-    }
-  else
-    {
-    cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-           "PATH_VAR_NAME == ", PATH_VAR_NAME);
-    }
-#endif
-
   // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   // Test LOAD_CACHE
 
diff --git a/Tests/Complex/VarTests.cmake b/Tests/Complex/VarTests.cmake
index 52ec1fc8e..70b803a1e 100644
--- a/Tests/Complex/VarTests.cmake
+++ b/Tests/Complex/VarTests.cmake
@@ -182,17 +182,3 @@ set(FOREACH_CONCAT "")
 foreach (INDEX a;b;c;d;e;f;g)
   set(FOREACH_CONCAT "${FOREACH_CONCAT}${INDEX}")
 endforeach()
-
-#
-# Test FIND_FILE, FIND_PATH and various GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT combinations
-#
-find_file(FILENAME_VAR "VarTests.cmake" ${Complex_SOURCE_DIR})
-
-get_filename_component(FILENAME_VAR_PATH ${FILENAME_VAR} PATH)
-get_filename_component(FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME ${FILENAME_VAR_PATH} NAME)
-get_filename_component(FILENAME_VAR_NAME ${FILENAME_VAR} NAME)
-get_filename_component(FILENAME_VAR_EXT ${FILENAME_VAR} EXT)
-get_filename_component(FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE ${FILENAME_VAR} NAME_WE CACHE)
-
-find_path(PATH_VAR "cmTestConfigure.h.in" ${Complex_SOURCE_DIR})
-get_filename_component(PATH_VAR_NAME ${PATH_VAR} NAME)
diff --git a/Tests/Complex/cmTestConfigure.h.in b/Tests/Complex/cmTestConfigure.h.in
index 7741b6fd5..d7424b184 100644
--- a/Tests/Complex/cmTestConfigure.h.in
+++ b/Tests/Complex/cmTestConfigure.h.in
@@ -15,15 +15,6 @@
 // Test WHILE
 #define WHILE_VALUE ${while_var}
 
-// Test FIND_FILE, FIND_PATH and various GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT combinations
-
-#define FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME "${FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME}"
-#define FILENAME_VAR_NAME "${FILENAME_VAR_NAME}"
-#define FILENAME_VAR_EXT "${FILENAME_VAR_EXT}"
-#define FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE "${FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE}"
-
-#define PATH_VAR_NAME "${PATH_VAR_NAME}"
-
 // Test LOAD_CACHE
 
 #define CACHE_TEST_VAR1 "${CACHE_TEST_VAR1}"
diff --git a/Tests/ComplexOneConfig/Executable/complex.cxx b/Tests/ComplexOneConfig/Executable/complex.cxx
index 27d70adc8..e904f2897 100644
--- a/Tests/ComplexOneConfig/Executable/complex.cxx
+++ b/Tests/ComplexOneConfig/Executable/complex.cxx
@@ -634,86 +634,6 @@ int main()
     cmPassed("WHILE command is working");
     }
 
-  // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-  // Test FIND_FILE, FIND_PATH and various GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT combinations
-
-#ifndef FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME
-  cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-         "FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME is not defined.");
-#else
-  if((strcmp(FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME, "Complex") == 0) ||
-     (strcmp(FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME, "ComplexOneConfig") == 0))
-    {
-    cmPassed("FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME == ", FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME);
-    }
-  else
-    {
-    cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-           "FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME == ", FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME);
-    }
-#endif
-
-#ifndef FILENAME_VAR_NAME
-  cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-         "FILENAME_VAR_NAME is not defined.");
-#else
-  if(strcmp(FILENAME_VAR_NAME, "VarTests.cmake") != 0)
-    {
-    cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-           "FILENAME_VAR_NAME == ", FILENAME_VAR_NAME);
-    }
-  else
-    {
-    cmPassed("FILENAME_VAR_NAME == ", FILENAME_VAR_NAME);
-    }
-#endif
-
-#ifndef FILENAME_VAR_EXT
-  cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-         "FILENAME_VAR_EXT is not defined.");
-#else
-  if(strcmp(FILENAME_VAR_EXT, ".cmake") != 0)
-    {
-    cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-           "FILENAME_VAR_EXT == ", FILENAME_VAR_EXT);
-    }
-  else
-    {
-    cmPassed("FILENAME_VAR_EXT == ", FILENAME_VAR_EXT);
-    }
-#endif
-
-#ifndef FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE
-  cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-         "FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE is not defined.");
-#else
-  if(strcmp(FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE, "VarTests") != 0)
-    {
-    cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-           "FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE == ", FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE);
-    }
-  else
-    {
-    cmPassed("FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE == ", FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE);
-    }
-#endif
-
-#ifndef PATH_VAR_NAME
-  cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-         "PATH_VAR_NAME is not defined.");
-#else
-  if((strcmp(PATH_VAR_NAME, "Complex") == 0) ||
-     (strcmp(PATH_VAR_NAME, "ComplexOneConfig") == 0))
-    {
-    cmPassed("PATH_VAR_NAME == ", PATH_VAR_NAME);
-    }
-  else
-    {
-    cmFailed("the FIND_FILE or GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT command is broken, "
-           "PATH_VAR_NAME == ", PATH_VAR_NAME);
-    }
-#endif
-
   // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   // Test LOAD_CACHE
 
diff --git a/Tests/ComplexOneConfig/VarTests.cmake b/Tests/ComplexOneConfig/VarTests.cmake
index 52ec1fc8e..70b803a1e 100644
--- a/Tests/ComplexOneConfig/VarTests.cmake
+++ b/Tests/ComplexOneConfig/VarTests.cmake
@@ -182,17 +182,3 @@ set(FOREACH_CONCAT "")
 foreach (INDEX a;b;c;d;e;f;g)
   set(FOREACH_CONCAT "${FOREACH_CONCAT}${INDEX}")
 endforeach()
-
-#
-# Test FIND_FILE, FIND_PATH and various GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT combinations
-#
-find_file(FILENAME_VAR "VarTests.cmake" ${Complex_SOURCE_DIR})
-
-get_filename_component(FILENAME_VAR_PATH ${FILENAME_VAR} PATH)
-get_filename_component(FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME ${FILENAME_VAR_PATH} NAME)
-get_filename_component(FILENAME_VAR_NAME ${FILENAME_VAR} NAME)
-get_filename_component(FILENAME_VAR_EXT ${FILENAME_VAR} EXT)
-get_filename_component(FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE ${FILENAME_VAR} NAME_WE CACHE)
-
-find_path(PATH_VAR "cmTestConfigure.h.in" ${Complex_SOURCE_DIR})
-get_filename_component(PATH_VAR_NAME ${PATH_VAR} NAME)
diff --git a/Tests/ComplexOneConfig/cmTestConfigure.h.in b/Tests/ComplexOneConfig/cmTestConfigure.h.in
index 7741b6fd5..d7424b184 100644
--- a/Tests/ComplexOneConfig/cmTestConfigure.h.in
+++ b/Tests/ComplexOneConfig/cmTestConfigure.h.in
@@ -15,15 +15,6 @@
 // Test WHILE
 #define WHILE_VALUE ${while_var}
 
-// Test FIND_FILE, FIND_PATH and various GET_FILENAME_COMPONENT combinations
-
-#define FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME "${FILENAME_VAR_PATH_NAME}"
-#define FILENAME_VAR_NAME "${FILENAME_VAR_NAME}"
-#define FILENAME_VAR_EXT "${FILENAME_VAR_EXT}"
-#define FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE "${FILENAME_VAR_NAME_WE}"
-
-#define PATH_VAR_NAME "${PATH_VAR_NAME}"
-
 // Test LOAD_CACHE
 
 #define CACHE_TEST_VAR1 "${CACHE_TEST_VAR1}"
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/CMakeLists.txt
index 402c8a980..f6761077d 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ add_RunCMake_test(CompatibleInterface)
 add_RunCMake_test(add_dependencies)
 add_RunCMake_test(build_command)
 add_RunCMake_test(find_package)
+add_RunCMake_test(get_filename_component)
 add_RunCMake_test(include)
 add_RunCMake_test(include_directories)
 add_RunCMake_test(list)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e8db6b05b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)
+project(${RunCMake_TEST} NONE)
+include(${RunCMake_TEST}.cmake)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/KnownComponents.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/KnownComponents.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a4ef8ff98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/KnownComponents.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+macro(check desc actual expect)
+  if(NOT "x${actual}" STREQUAL "x${expect}")
+    message(SEND_ERROR "${desc}: got \"${actual}\", not \"${expect}\"")
+  endif()
+endmacro()
+
+set(filename "/path/to/filename.ext.in")
+set(expect_DIRECTORY "/path/to")
+set(expect_NAME "filename.ext.in")
+set(expect_EXT ".ext.in")
+set(expect_NAME_WE "filename")
+set(expect_PATH "/path/to")
+foreach(c DIRECTORY NAME EXT NAME_WE PATH)
+  get_filename_component(actual_${c} "${filename}" ${c})
+  check("${c}" "${actual_${c}}" "${expect_${c}}")
+endforeach()
+
+get_filename_component(test_slashes "c:\\path\\to\\filename.ext.in" DIRECTORY)
+check("DIRECTORY from backslashes" "${test_slashes}" "c:/path/to")
+
+get_filename_component(test_winroot "c:\\filename.ext.in" DIRECTORY)
+check("DIRECTORY in windows root" "${test_winroot}" "c:/")
+
+get_filename_component(test_absolute "/path/to/a/../filename.ext.in" ABSOLUTE)
+check("ABSOLUTE" "${test_absolute}" "/path/to/filename.ext.in")
+
+get_filename_component(test_cache "/path/to/filename.ext.in" DIRECTORY CACHE)
+check("CACHE 1" "${test_cache}" "/path/to")
+get_filename_component(test_cache "/path/to/other/filename.ext.in" DIRECTORY CACHE)
+check("CACHE 2" "${test_cache}" "/path/to")
+unset(test_cache CACHE)
+get_filename_component(test_cache "/path/to/other/filename.ext.in" DIRECTORY CACHE)
+check("CACHE 3" "${test_cache}" "/path/to/other")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/RunCMakeTest.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/RunCMakeTest.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..156fc8f3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/RunCMakeTest.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+include(RunCMake)
+
+run_cmake(KnownComponents)
+run_cmake(UnknownComponent)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/UnknownComponent-result.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/UnknownComponent-result.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d00491fd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/UnknownComponent-result.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/UnknownComponent-stderr.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/UnknownComponent-stderr.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b146e5b4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/UnknownComponent-stderr.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+CMake Error at UnknownComponent.cmake:1 \(get_filename_component\):
+  get_filename_component unknown component BOGUS
+Call Stack \(most recent call first\):
+  CMakeLists.txt:[0-9]+ \(include\)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/UnknownComponent.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/UnknownComponent.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06abc51e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/get_filename_component/UnknownComponent.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+get_filename_component(var "/path/to/filename.ext.in" BOGUS)