diff --git a/mercurial/scmutil.py b/mercurial/scmutil.py
--- a/mercurial/scmutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/scmutil.py
@@ -437,14 +437,14 @@ if os.name != 'nt':
     def systemrcpath():
         path = []
         if sys.platform == 'plan9':
-            root = '/lib/mercurial'
+            root = 'lib/mercurial'
         else:
-            root = '/etc/mercurial'
+            root = 'etc/mercurial'
         # old mod_python does not set sys.argv
         if len(getattr(sys, 'argv', [])) > 0:
             p = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0]))
             path.extend(rcfiles(os.path.join(p, root)))
-        path.extend(rcfiles(root))
+        path.extend(rcfiles('/' + root))
         return path
 
     def userrcpath():