diff --git a/lib/puppet/file_serving/indirection_hooks.rb b/lib/puppet/file_serving/indirection_hooks.rb
index bdcc8865e..4aafcb9fd 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/file_serving/indirection_hooks.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/file_serving/indirection_hooks.rb
@@ -1,31 +1,31 @@
 require 'uri'
 require 'puppet/file_serving'
+require 'puppet/util'
 
 # This module is used to pick the appropriate terminus
 # in file-serving indirections.  This is necessary because
 # the terminus varies based on the URI asked for.
 module Puppet::FileServing::IndirectionHooks
   PROTOCOL_MAP = {"puppet" => :rest, "file" => :file}
 
   # Pick an appropriate terminus based on the protocol.
   def select_terminus(request)
     # We rely on the request's parsing of the URI.
 
     # Short-circuit to :file if it's a fully-qualified path or specifies a 'file' protocol.
-    return PROTOCOL_MAP["file"] if request.key =~ /^#{::File::SEPARATOR}/
-    return PROTOCOL_MAP["file"] if request.key =~ /^[a-z]:[\/\\]/i
+    return PROTOCOL_MAP["file"] if Puppet::Util.absolute_path?(request.key)
     return PROTOCOL_MAP["file"] if request.protocol == "file"
 
     # We're heading over the wire the protocol is 'puppet' and we've got a server name or we're not named 'apply' or 'puppet'
     if request.protocol == "puppet" and (request.server or !["puppet","apply"].include?(Puppet.settings[:name]))
       return PROTOCOL_MAP["puppet"]
     end
 
     if request.protocol and PROTOCOL_MAP[request.protocol].nil?
       raise(ArgumentError, "URI protocol '#{request.protocol}' is not currently supported for file serving")
     end
 
     # If we're still here, we're using the file_server or modules.
     :file_server
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/unit/file_serving/indirection_hooks_spec.rb b/spec/unit/file_serving/indirection_hooks_spec.rb
index 526c49e0f..7bd713e78 100755
--- a/spec/unit/file_serving/indirection_hooks_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/file_serving/indirection_hooks_spec.rb
@@ -1,59 +1,59 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env rspec
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 require 'puppet/file_serving/indirection_hooks'
 
 describe Puppet::FileServing::IndirectionHooks do
   before do
     @object = Object.new
     @object.extend(Puppet::FileServing::IndirectionHooks)
 
     @request = stub 'request', :key => "mymod/myfile", :options => {:node => "whatever"}, :server => nil, :protocol => nil
   end
 
   describe "when being used to select termini" do
     it "should return :file if the request key is fully qualified" do
-      @request.expects(:key).returns "#{File::SEPARATOR}foo"
+      @request.expects(:key).returns File.expand_path('/foo')
       @object.select_terminus(@request).should == :file
     end
 
     it "should return :file if the URI protocol is set to 'file'" do
       @request.expects(:protocol).returns "file"
       @object.select_terminus(@request).should == :file
     end
 
     it "should fail when a protocol other than :puppet or :file is used" do
       @request.stubs(:protocol).returns "http"
       proc { @object.select_terminus(@request) }.should raise_error(ArgumentError)
     end
 
     describe "and the protocol is 'puppet'" do
       before do
         @request.stubs(:protocol).returns "puppet"
       end
 
       it "should choose :rest when a server is specified" do
         @request.stubs(:protocol).returns "puppet"
         @request.expects(:server).returns "foo"
         @object.select_terminus(@request).should == :rest
       end
 
       # This is so a given file location works when bootstrapping with no server.
       it "should choose :rest when the Settings name isn't 'puppet'" do
         @request.stubs(:protocol).returns "puppet"
         @request.stubs(:server).returns "foo"
         Puppet.settings.stubs(:value).with(:name).returns "foo"
         @object.select_terminus(@request).should == :rest
       end
 
       it "should choose :file_server when the settings name is 'puppet' and no server is specified" do
         modules = mock 'modules'
 
         @request.expects(:protocol).returns "puppet"
         @request.expects(:server).returns nil
         Puppet.settings.expects(:value).with(:name).returns "puppet"
         @object.select_terminus(@request).should == :file_server
       end
     end
   end
 end