diff --git a/powerlevel9k.zsh-theme b/powerlevel9k.zsh-theme
index 63724823..43d423a0 100755
--- a/powerlevel9k.zsh-theme
+++ b/powerlevel9k.zsh-theme
@@ -797,7 +797,7 @@ prompt_dir() {
   # using $PWD instead of "$(print -P '%~')" to allow use of POWERLEVEL9K_DIR_PATH_ABSOLUTE
   local current_path=$PWD # WAS: local current_path="$(print -P '%~')"
   # check if the user wants to use absolute paths or "~" paths
-  [[ ${(L)POWERLEVEL9K_DIR_PATH_ABSOLUTE} != "true" ]] && current_path=${current_path//$HOME/"~"}
+  [[ ${(L)POWERLEVEL9K_DIR_PATH_ABSOLUTE} != "true" ]] && current_path=${current_path/#$HOME/"~"}
   # declare all local variables
   local paths directory test_dir test_dir_length trunc_path threshhold
   # if we are not in "~" or "/", split the paths into an array and exclude "~"