diff --git a/usr.bin/xinstall/tests/install_test.sh b/usr.bin/xinstall/tests/install_test.sh
index b35706521ec3..0f1f93ab4c63 100755
--- a/usr.bin/xinstall/tests/install_test.sh
+++ b/usr.bin/xinstall/tests/install_test.sh
@@ -32,6 +32,15 @@ copy_to_empty_body() {
 	    install testf ""
 }
 
+atf_test_case copy_to_nonexistent_dir
+copy_to_nonexistent_dir_body() {
+	local dir="/nonexistent"
+
+	printf 'test\n123\r456\r\n789\0z' >testf
+	atf_check -s not-exit:0 -e match:$dir": No such file or directory" \
+	    install testf $dir/testf
+}
+
 copy_to_nonexistent_with_opts() {
 	printf 'test\n123\r456\r\n789\0z' >testf
 	atf_check install "$@" testf copyf
@@ -506,6 +515,7 @@ set_optional_exec_body()
 atf_init_test_cases() {
 	atf_add_test_case copy_to_empty
 	atf_add_test_case copy_to_nonexistent
+	atf_add_test_case copy_to_nonexistent_dir
 	atf_add_test_case copy_to_nonexistent_safe
 	atf_add_test_case copy_to_nonexistent_comparing
 	atf_add_test_case copy_to_nonexistent_safe_comparing
diff --git a/usr.bin/xinstall/xinstall.c b/usr.bin/xinstall/xinstall.c
index 2823a9040b7a..d0fcda340034 100644
--- a/usr.bin/xinstall/xinstall.c
+++ b/usr.bin/xinstall/xinstall.c
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ install(const char *from_name, const char *to_name, u_long fset, u_int flags)
 		to_fd = create_tempfile(to_name, tempfile,
 		    sizeof(tempfile));
 		if (to_fd < 0)
-			err(EX_OSERR, "%s", tempfile);
+			err(EX_OSERR, "%s", dirname(tempfile));
 		if (!devnull) {
 			if (dostrip) {
 				stripped = strip(tempfile, to_fd, from_name,