diff --git a/metropolis/installer/test/run_test.go b/metropolis/installer/test/run_test.go
index 925e758..3c8f1a6 100644
--- a/metropolis/installer/test/run_test.go
+++ b/metropolis/installer/test/run_test.go
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
 		return fmt.Errorf("couldn't read the installer ESP: %w", err)
 	}
 	// Make sure the EFI payload exists by attempting to open it.
-	efiPayload, err := fs.OpenFile(osimage.EFIPayloadPath, os.O_RDONLY)
+	efiPayload, err := fs.OpenFile("/"+osimage.EFIPayloadPath, os.O_RDONLY)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("couldn't open the installer's EFI Payload at %q: %w", osimage.EFIPayloadPath, err)
 	}
diff --git a/metropolis/node/core/update/update.go b/metropolis/node/core/update/update.go
index 3d3060d..53bcb96 100644
--- a/metropolis/node/core/update/update.go
+++ b/metropolis/node/core/update/update.go
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@
 		}
 		switch p := e.FilePath[1].(type) {
 		case efivarfs.FilePath:
-			if string(p) == osimage.EFIPayloadPath {
+			if string(p) == "/"+osimage.EFIPayloadPath {
 				if validBootEntryIdx == -1 {
 					validBootEntryIdx = int(idx)
 				} else {
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@
 						PartitionUUID: s.ESPPart.ID,
 					},
 				},
-				efivarfs.FilePath(osimage.EFIPayloadPath),
+				efivarfs.FilePath("/" + osimage.EFIPayloadPath),
 			},
 		})
 		if err == nil {
diff --git a/osbase/build/mkimage/osimage/osimage.go b/osbase/build/mkimage/osimage/osimage.go
index 4cd3952..4edb077 100644
--- a/osbase/build/mkimage/osimage/osimage.go
+++ b/osbase/build/mkimage/osimage/osimage.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 
@@ -32,9 +31,9 @@
 	DataLabel    = "METROPOLIS-NODE-DATA"
 	ESPLabel     = "ESP"
 
-	EFIPayloadPath = "/EFI/BOOT/BOOTx64.EFI"
-	EFIBootAPath   = "/EFI/metropolis/boot-a.efi"
-	EFIBootBPath   = "/EFI/metropolis/boot-b.efi"
+	EFIPayloadPath = "EFI/BOOT/BOOTx64.EFI"
+	EFIBootAPath   = "EFI/metropolis/boot-a.efi"
+	EFIBootBPath   = "EFI/metropolis/boot-b.efi"
 	nodeParamsPath = "metropolis/parameters.pb"
 )
 
@@ -135,7 +134,7 @@
 					PartitionUUID: i.efiPartition.ID,
 				},
 			},
-			efivarfs.FilePath(EFIPayloadPath),
+			efivarfs.FilePath("/" + EFIPayloadPath),
 		},
 	}, nil
 }
@@ -162,11 +161,11 @@
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to allocate ESP: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	if err := params.efiRoot.PlaceFile(strings.TrimPrefix(EFIBootAPath, "/"), params.EFIPayload); err != nil {
+	if err := params.efiRoot.PlaceFile(EFIBootAPath, params.EFIPayload); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	// Place the A/B loader at the EFI bootloader autodiscovery path.
-	if err := params.efiRoot.PlaceFile(strings.TrimPrefix(EFIPayloadPath, "/"), params.ABLoader); err != nil {
+	if err := params.efiRoot.PlaceFile(EFIPayloadPath, params.ABLoader); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	if params.NodeParameters != nil {