diff --git a/doc/aa-enable.pod b/doc/aa-enable.pod
index 224b436..8fec95d 100644
--- a/doc/aa-enable.pod
+++ b/doc/aa-enable.pod
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ The directory will be read, and names of files/directories within be used as
 service name to enable. For directories, their content will be merged/copied
 into the servicedir; See below for more.
 
+If I<LISTDIR> doesn't start with a slash or dot, it will be prefixed with
+I</etc/anopa/listdirs/>
+
 =item B<-n, --no-needs>
 
 Don't auto-enable any services listed under directory I<needs> of a service
diff --git a/doc/aa-start.pod b/doc/aa-start.pod
index 3b541f6..2c3be07 100644
--- a/doc/aa-start.pod
+++ b/doc/aa-start.pod
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ Show help screen and exit.
 Use I<dir> to list services to start. Only one can be set, if specified more
 than once the last one will be used.
 
+If I<dir> doesn't start with a slash or dot, it will be prefixed with
+I</etc/anopa/listdirs/>
+
 =item B<-r, --repodir> I<dir>
 
 Use I<dir> as repository directory. This is where servicedirs will be looked
diff --git a/src/anopa/aa-enable.c b/src/anopa/aa-enable.c
index 8dc1cfc..908f40e 100644
--- a/src/anopa/aa-enable.c
+++ b/src/anopa/aa-enable.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 #include <anopa/stats.h>
 #include <anopa/err.h>
 #include "util.h"
+#include "common.h"
 
 
 #define SVSCANDIR       ".scandir/.s6-svscan"
@@ -310,10 +311,14 @@ main (int argc, char * const argv[])
      * the one with (potentially) a config dir */
     if (path_list)
     {
+        if (*path_list != '/' && *path_list != '.')
+            stralloc_cats (&sa_pl, LISTDIR_PREFIX);
         stralloc_catb (&sa_pl, path_list, strlen (path_list) + 1);
         r = aa_scan_dir (&sa_pl, 0, it_list, NULL);
         if (r < 0)
-            strerr_diefu2sys (-r, "read list directory ", path_list);
+            strerr_diefu3sys (-r, "read list directory ",
+                    (*path_list != '/' && *path_list != '.') ? LISTDIR_PREFIX : path_list,
+                    (*path_list != '/' && *path_list != '.') ? path_list : "");
     }
 
     for (i = 0; i < argc; ++i)
diff --git a/src/anopa/aa-start.c b/src/anopa/aa-start.c
index 7117e09..baed8a9 100644
--- a/src/anopa/aa-start.c
+++ b/src/anopa/aa-start.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 #include <anopa/stats.h>
 #include "start-stop.h"
 #include "util.h"
+#include "common.h"
 
 
 #define ESSENTIAL_FILENAME      "essential"
@@ -306,11 +307,15 @@ main (int argc, char * const argv[])
         stralloc sa = STRALLOC_ZERO;
         int r;
 
+        if (*path_list != '/' && *path_list != '.')
+            stralloc_cats (&sa, LISTDIR_PREFIX);
         stralloc_catb (&sa, path_list, strlen (path_list) + 1);
         r = aa_scan_dir (&sa, 1, it_start, NULL);
         stralloc_free (&sa);
         if (r < 0)
-            strerr_diefu2sys (-r, "read list directory ", path_list);
+            strerr_diefu3sys (-r, "read list directory ",
+                    (*path_list != '/' && *path_list != '.') ? LISTDIR_PREFIX : path_list,
+                    (*path_list != '/' && *path_list != '.') ? path_list : "");
     }
 
     tain_now_g ();
diff --git a/src/anopa/common.h b/src/anopa/common.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6ccdc0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/anopa/common.h
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/*
+ * anopa - Copyright (C) 2015 Olivier Brunel
+ *
+ * common.h
+ * Copyright (C) 2015 Olivier Brunel <jjk@jjacky.com>
+ *
+ * This file is part of anopa.
+ *
+ * anopa is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+ * version.
+ *
+ * anopa is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+ * WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+ * See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+ * anopa. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/
+ */
+
+#ifndef _AA_COMMON_H
+#define _AA_COMMON_H
+
+#define LISTDIR_PREFIX      "/etc/anopa/listdirs/"
+
+#endif /* _AA_COMMON_H */