diff --git a/C/load_foreign.c b/C/load_foreign.c
index 1f925ddbc..c9d70ca61 100755
--- a/C/load_foreign.c
+++ b/C/load_foreign.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ static char     SccsId[] = "%W% %G%.2";
 
 #if _WIN32 || defined(__CYGWIN__)
 #ifndef SO_EXT
-#define SO_EXT ".dll"
+#define SO_EXT "dll"
 #endif
 #endif
 
diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 9d4f861c2..f63c76398 100755
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -438,7 +438,8 @@ parms.h:	Makefile
 		@echo "#define C_CC	    \"$(CC)\""	       >> $@%
 		@echo "#define C_CFLAGS	    \"$(CFLAGS)\"" >> $@%
 		@echo "#define C_LDFLAGS    \"$(LDFLAGS)\""    >> $@%
-		@echo "#define SO_EXT    \".\" \"$(SO)\""    >> $@%
+		@echo "#define SO_EXT     \"$(SO)\""    >> $@%
+		@echo "#define SO_PATH    \"$(YAPLIBDIR)\""    >> $@%
 		@echo "#define YAP_TIMESTAMP \"`date +%s`\"" >> $@%
 		@echo "#define YAP_SVERSION   \"YAP $(VERSION) ($(ARCH)): `date`\"" >> $@%
 		@if cmp -s $@% $@; then rm $@%; else mv $@% $@; fi
diff --git a/pl/flags.yap b/pl/flags.yap
index 8fc6fcbec..780254c9e 100755
--- a/pl/flags.yap
+++ b/pl/flags.yap
@@ -415,9 +415,6 @@ yap_flag(toplevel_hook,G) :-
 yap_flag(toplevel_hook,G) :- !,
 	'$set_toplevel_hook'(G).
 
-yap_flag(shared_object_search_path,P) :-
-	'$ld_path'(P).
-
 yap_flag(typein_module,X) :-
 	var(X), !,
 	'$current_module'(X).
@@ -560,7 +557,6 @@ yap_flag(max_threads,X) :-
 '$yap_system_flag'(profiling).
 '$yap_system_flag'(prompt_alternatives_on).
 '$yap_system_flag'(redefine_warnings).
-'$yap_system_flag'(shared_object_search_path).
 '$yap_system_flag'(single_var_warnings).
 '$yap_system_flag'(source).
 '$yap_system_flag'(stack_dump_on_error).
diff --git a/pl/load_foreign.yap b/pl/load_foreign.yap
index e16bf553d..27616dfb7 100755
--- a/pl/load_foreign.yap
+++ b/pl/load_foreign.yap
@@ -65,19 +65,10 @@ load_foreign_files(Objs,Libs,Entry) :-
 	'$obj_suffix'(ObjSuffix),
 	lists:append(ObjCodes,ObjSuffix,NewObjCodes).
 
-'$checklib_prefix'(Cs,Cs) :- '$rooted_path'(Cs), !.
+'$checklib_prefix'(Cs,Cs) :- is_absolute_file_name(Cs), !.
 '$checklib_prefix'([0'l,0'i,0'b|NewObjCodes],[0'l,0'i,0'b|NewObjCodes]) :- !.
 '$checklib_prefix'(NewObjCodes,[0'l,0'i,0'b|NewObjCodes]).
 
-'$rooted_path'([C|_]) :- '$dir_separator'(C), !.
-% windows drive z:\
-'$rooted_path'([_,0':,0'\\|_]) .
-
-'$get_drive'([0':|_]) :- !.
-'$get_drive'([0'\\|_]) :- !, fail.
-'$get_drive'([_|L]) :-
-	'$get_drive'(L).
-				      
 
 '$check_entry_for_load_foreign_files'(V,G) :- var(V), !,
 	'$do_error'(instantiation_error,G).