diff --git a/Lib/distutils/command/install.py b/Lib/distutils/command/install.py
index 13fa88e..7176fab 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/command/install.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/command/install.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 from types import *
 from distutils.core import Command, DEBUG
 from distutils import sysconfig
-from distutils.util import write_file, native_path, subst_vars, change_root
+from distutils.util import write_file, convert_path, subst_vars, change_root
 from distutils.errors import DistutilsOptionError
 from glob import glob
 
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@
 
             # convert to local form in case Unix notation used (as it
             # should be in setup scripts)
-            extra_dirs = native_path (extra_dirs)
+            extra_dirs = convert_path (extra_dirs)
 
         else:
             path_file = None
diff --git a/Lib/distutils/command/sdist.py b/Lib/distutils/command/sdist.py
index 6626b9e..c06860f 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/command/sdist.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/command/sdist.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 from types import *
 from glob import glob
 from distutils.core import Command
-from distutils.util import newer, create_tree, remove_tree, native_path, \
+from distutils.util import newer, create_tree, remove_tree, convert_path, \
      write_file
 from distutils.archive_util import check_archive_formats
 from distutils.text_file import TextFile
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@
                          action)
                     continue
 
-                pattern_list = map(native_path, words[1:])
+                pattern_list = map(convert_path, words[1:])
 
             elif action in ('recursive-include','recursive-exclude'):
                 if len (words) < 3:
@@ -332,8 +332,8 @@
                          action)
                     continue
 
-                dir = native_path(words[1])
-                pattern_list = map (native_path, words[2:])
+                dir = convert_path(words[1])
+                pattern_list = map (convert_path, words[2:])
 
             elif action in ('graft','prune'):
                 if len (words) != 2:
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@
                          action)
                     continue
 
-                dir_pattern = native_path (words[1])
+                dir_pattern = convert_path (words[1])
 
             else:
                 template.warn ("invalid manifest template line: " +
diff --git a/Lib/distutils/util.py b/Lib/distutils/util.py
index 6063aa6..5754638 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/util.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/util.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 # get_platform()
 
 
-def native_path (pathname):
+def convert_path (pathname):
     """Return 'pathname' as a name that will work on the native
        filesystem, i.e. split it on '/' and put it back together again
        using the current directory separator.  Needed because filenames in
@@ -73,16 +73,12 @@
     if pathname[-1] == '/':
         raise ValueError, "path '%s' cannot end with '/'" % pathname
     if os.sep != '/':
-       if os.sep in pathname:
-            raise ValueError, \
-              "path '%s' cannot contain '%c' character" % (pathname, os.sep)
-       else:
-            paths = string.split (pathname, '/')
-            return apply (os.path.join, paths)
+        paths = string.split (pathname, '/')
+        return apply (os.path.join, paths)
     else:
         return pathname
 
-# native_path ()
+# convert_path ()
 
 
 def change_root (new_root, pathname):