diff --git a/example/load.ml b/example/load.ml
index 46b930d..15edacd 100644
--- a/example/load.ml
+++ b/example/load.ml
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
+let ( / ) = Eio.Path.( / )
+
 let () =
   Eio_main.run @@ fun env ->
-  let to_load = Eio.Path.(env#fs / Sys.argv.(1)) in
-  Eio_mem.run @@ fun env ->
-  let in_mem = Eio_mem.Fs.load to_load in
+  Eio_mem.run @@ fun _ ->
+  let cwd = Eio.Stdenv.cwd env / "src" |> Eio_mem.Fs.load in
   Eio.traceln "The following filesystem has been loaded into memory: %a..."
-    Eio.Path.pp in_mem;
-  Eio_mem.Fs.tree ~depth:max_int Fmt.stdout Eio.Path.(env#fs / "/")
+    Eio.Path.pp cwd;
+  Eio_mem.Fs.tree ~depth:max_int Fmt.stdout cwd
diff --git a/src/low_level.ml b/src/low_level.ml
index bab7e26..0f34234 100644
--- a/src/low_level.ml
+++ b/src/low_level.ml
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ end
 
 type Eio.Exn.Backend.t += Eio_mem of string
 
+(* Eio makes use of the empty string for paths so we can start
+   with "no path". Fpath does not allow that. *)
+let check_path p = if String.equal p "" then "." else p
+
 let () =
   let pp_eio_mem ppf = function
     | Eio_mem "" ->
@@ -400,6 +404,7 @@ let close fd =
   | Some _ -> Fd_table.remove fd fds
 
 let openat ~mode:_ ~sw dir_fd path flags =
+  let path = check_path path in
   let is_create = Open_flags.(mem o_creat flags) in
   let is_excl = Open_flags.(mem o_excl flags) in
   let append = Open_flags.(mem o_append flags) in
@@ -455,12 +460,14 @@ let openat ~mode:_ ~sw dir_fd path flags =
           (fd, fds))
 
 let statat ~follow dir_fd path =
+  let path = check_path path in
   let f = Filesystem.lookup ~follow dir_fd path in
   Resource.stat !f
 
 let dir_base path = (Path.parent path, Path.basename path)
 
 let unlink dir_fd path =
+  let path = check_path path in
   let dir, base = dir_base path in
   let r = Filesystem.lookup ~follow:false dir_fd dir in
   let d = get_dir !r in
@@ -470,6 +477,7 @@ let unlink dir_fd path =
   r := Resource.Dir { d with entries }
 
 let mkdirat dir_fd ~perm path =
+  let path = check_path path in
   let mkdir r name =
     let new_stat = make_new_stat ~kind:`Directory ~perm () in
     let d = get_dir !r in
@@ -488,6 +496,7 @@ let mkdirat dir_fd ~perm path =
     mkdir r base
 
 let symlinkat ~link_to dir_fd path =
+  let path = check_path path in
   let symlink r name =
     let new_stat = make_new_stat ~kind:`Symbolic_link ~perm:0o644 () in
     let d = get_dir !r in
@@ -502,12 +511,14 @@ let symlinkat ~link_to dir_fd path =
   symlink r base
 
 let read_link dir_fd path =
+  let path = check_path path in
   let r = Filesystem.lookup ~follow:false dir_fd path in
   match !r with
   | Symlink s -> s.link_to
   | r -> Error.err (Fmt.str "not a symlink: %a" Resource.pp r)
 
 let read_dir dir_fd path =
+  let path = check_path path in
   let r = Filesystem.lookup ~follow:true dir_fd path in
   match !r with
   | Resource.Dir dir ->