diff --git a/src/database/mod.rs b/src/database/mod.rs
index 7b0c125..3bcdf5f 100644
--- a/src/database/mod.rs
+++ b/src/database/mod.rs
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ impl UpEndDatabase {
 
         let db = UpEndDatabase {
             pool,
-            vault_path: Arc::new(PathBuf::from(dirpath.as_ref())),
+            vault_path: Arc::new(dirpath.as_ref().canonicalize()?),
             db_path: Arc::new(upend_path),
         };
         let connection = db.connection().unwrap();
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ impl UpEndConnection {
     }
 
     pub fn normalize_path(&self, path: &Path) -> Result<PathBuf> {
-        Ok(path.strip_prefix(self.vault_path.as_path())?.to_path_buf())
+        Ok(path.canonicalize()?.strip_prefix(self.vault_path.as_path())?.to_path_buf())
     }
 
     pub fn retrieve_entry(&self, hash: Hash) -> Result<Option<Entry>> {