diff --git a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx
index 100d79159..167e98fa1 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx
@@ -963,6 +963,10 @@ cmLocalVisualStudio7Generator
     if(cmSystemTools::FileIsFullPath(dir.c_str()))
       {
       std::string rel = this->Convert(dir.c_str(), START_OUTPUT, UNCHANGED);
+      if(rel.empty())
+        {
+        rel = ".";
+        }
       if(rel.size() < dir.size())
         {
         dir = rel;