diff --git a/core/core.el b/core/core.el
index 7efd876f4..687d629df 100644
--- a/core/core.el
+++ b/core/core.el
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ line or use --debug-init to enable this.")
 
 
 ;;
-(defvar doom-emacs-dir user-emacs-directory
+(defvar doom-emacs-dir
+  (eval-when-compile (file-truename user-emacs-directory))
   "The path to this emacs.d directory. Must end in a slash.")
 
 (defvar doom-core-dir (concat doom-emacs-dir "core/")