diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc-svn.el b/lisp/vc/vc-svn.el
index f97e2ab17e9..8d6eae58d25 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc-svn.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc-svn.el
@@ -279,7 +279,13 @@ RESULT is a list of conses (FILE . STATE) for directory DIR."
   ;; Expand default-directory because svn gets confused by eg
   ;; file://~/path/to/file.  (Bug#15446).
   (vc-svn-command "*vc*" 0 "." "checkout"
-                  (let ((defdir (expand-file-name default-directory)))
+                  (let ((defdir (expand-file-name default-directory))
+                        (svn-prog (executable-find "svn")))
+                    (when (and (fboundp 'w32-application-type)
+                               (eq (w32-application-type svn-prog) 'msys))
+                      (setq defdir
+                            (replace-regexp-in-string "^\\(.\\):/" "/\\1/"
+                                                      defdir)))
                     (concat (if (and (stringp defdir)
                                      (eq (aref defdir 0) ?/))
                                 "file://"