diff --git a/recipes/recipe_modules/cipd/api.py b/recipes/recipe_modules/cipd/api.py
index 27b6e84f3..4aefd0d7e 100644
--- a/recipes/recipe_modules/cipd/api.py
+++ b/recipes/recipe_modules/cipd/api.py
@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@ class PackageDefinition(object):
   def _rel_path(self, path):
     """Returns a forward-slash-delimited version of `path` which is relative to
     the package root. Will raise ValueError if path is not inside the root."""
-    if path != self.package_root and not self.package_root.is_parent_of(path):
+    if path == self.package_root:
+      return '.'
+    if not self.package_root.is_parent_of(path):
       raise ValueError(
           'path %r is not the package root %r and not a child thereof' %
           (path, self.package_root))
diff --git a/recipes/recipe_modules/cipd/example.expected/basic_pkg.json b/recipes/recipe_modules/cipd/example.expected/basic_pkg.json
index d667fff88..bf2fbb70d 100644
--- a/recipes/recipe_modules/cipd/example.expected/basic_pkg.json
+++ b/recipes/recipe_modules/cipd/example.expected/basic_pkg.json
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@
       "cipd",
       "create",
       "-pkg-def",
-      "{\"data\": [{\"file\": \"a/path/to/file.py\"}, {\"file\": \"some_config.cfg\"}, {\"dir\": \"directory\", \"exclude\": []}, {\"dir\": \"other_dir\", \"exclude\": [\".*\\\\.pyc\"]}], \"install_mode\": \"\", \"package\": \"infra/fake-package\", \"root\": \"[START_DIR]/some_subdir\"}",
+      "{\"data\": [{\"file\": \"a/path/to/file.py\"}, {\"file\": \"some_config.cfg\"}, {\"dir\": \".\", \"exclude\": []}, {\"dir\": \"directory\", \"exclude\": []}, {\"dir\": \"other_dir\", \"exclude\": [\".*\\\\.pyc\"]}], \"install_mode\": \"\", \"package\": \"infra/fake-package\", \"root\": \"[START_DIR]/some_subdir\"}",
       "-json-output",
       "/path/to/tmp/json",
       "-service-account-json",
diff --git a/recipes/recipe_modules/cipd/example.py b/recipes/recipe_modules/cipd/example.py
index 07acdbb42..0a1abbbd1 100644
--- a/recipes/recipe_modules/cipd/example.py
+++ b/recipes/recipe_modules/cipd/example.py
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ def RunSteps(api, use_pkg, pkg_files, pkg_dirs, ver_files, install_mode):
     pkg = api.cipd.PackageDefinition('infra/fake-package', root, install_mode)
     for fullpath in pkg_files:
       pkg.add_file(api.path.abs_to_path(fullpath))
+    pkg.add_dir(root)
     for obj in pkg_dirs:
       pkg.add_dir(api.path.abs_to_path(obj.get('path', '')),
                   obj.get('exclusions'))