diff --git a/System/Directory.hs b/System/Directory.hs
index 7cbaa501..695db9cc 100644
--- a/System/Directory.hs
+++ b/System/Directory.hs
@@ -197,7 +197,8 @@ The operation may fail with:
 getPermissions :: FilePath -> IO Permissions
 getPermissions name = do
 #ifdef mingw32_HOST_OS
-  withFilePath name $ \s -> do
+  -- issue #9: Windows doesn't like trailing path separators
+  withFilePath (dropTrailingPathSeparator name) $ \s -> do
   -- stat() does a better job of guessing the permissions on Windows
   -- than access() does.  e.g. for execute permission, it looks at the
   -- filename extension :-)
diff --git a/tests/getPermissions001.hs b/tests/getPermissions001.hs
index 5e9adf2d..8290d3f8 100644
--- a/tests/getPermissions001.hs
+++ b/tests/getPermissions001.hs
@@ -1,13 +1,17 @@
 import System.Directory
 
 main = do
+#ifndef mingw32_HOST_OS
+  let exe = ".exe"
+#else
+  let exe = ""
+#endif
   p <- getPermissions "."
   print p
   p <- getPermissions "getPermissions001.hs"
   print p
-#ifndef mingw32_HOST_OS
-  p <- getPermissions "getPermissions001"
-#else
-  p <- getPermissions "getPermissions001.exe"
-#endif
+  p <- getPermissions ("getPermissions001" ++ exe)
   print p
+
+  -- issue #9: Windows doesn't like trailing path separators
+  _ <- getPermissions "../tests/"