diff --git a/Source/cmLocalNinjaGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmLocalNinjaGenerator.cxx
index 46d7e18cf..58c336de6 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalNinjaGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmLocalNinjaGenerator.cxx
@@ -486,12 +486,13 @@ std::string cmLocalNinjaGenerator::MakeCustomLauncher(
   std::string output;
   const std::vector<std::string>& outputs = ccg.GetOutputs();
   if (!outputs.empty()) {
-    cmOutputConverter::RelativeRoot relative_root =
-      ccg.GetWorkingDirectory().empty() ? cmOutputConverter::START_OUTPUT
-                                        : cmOutputConverter::NONE;
-
-    output =
-      this->Convert(outputs[0], relative_root, cmOutputConverter::SHELL);
+    if (ccg.GetWorkingDirectory().empty()) {
+      output = this->Convert(outputs[0], cmOutputConverter::START_OUTPUT,
+                             cmOutputConverter::SHELL);
+    } else {
+      output = this->Convert(outputs[0], cmOutputConverter::NONE,
+                             cmOutputConverter::SHELL);
+    }
   }
   vars.Output = output.c_str();
 
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalUnixMakefileGenerator3.cxx b/Source/cmLocalUnixMakefileGenerator3.cxx
index 53c9aa12c..917d8d5ba 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalUnixMakefileGenerator3.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmLocalUnixMakefileGenerator3.cxx
@@ -990,10 +990,14 @@ void cmLocalUnixMakefileGenerator3::AppendCustomCommand(
         std::string output;
         const std::vector<std::string>& outputs = ccg.GetOutputs();
         if (!outputs.empty()) {
-          output = this->Convert(outputs[0], workingDir.empty()
-                                   ? cmOutputConverter::START_OUTPUT
-                                   : cmOutputConverter::NONE,
-                                 cmOutputConverter::SHELL);
+          if (workingDir.empty()) {
+            output = this->Convert(outputs[0], cmOutputConverter::START_OUTPUT,
+                                   cmOutputConverter::SHELL);
+
+          } else {
+            output = this->Convert(outputs[0], cmOutputConverter::NONE,
+                                   cmOutputConverter::SHELL);
+          }
         }
         vars.Output = output.c_str();