diff --git a/bashline.c b/bashline.c
index 3cbb18f..31841fa 100644
--- a/bashline.c
+++ b/bashline.c
@@ -3478,8 +3478,9 @@ quote_word_break_chars (text)
       if (mbschr (rl_completer_word_break_characters, *s))
 	*r++ = '\\';
       /* XXX -- check for standalone tildes here and backslash-quote them */
-      if (s == text && *s == '~' && file_exists (text))
+      if (s == text && *s == '~' && tilde_file_exists (text)) {
         *r++ = '\\';
+      }
       *r++ = *s;
     }
   *r = '\0';
diff --git a/general.c b/general.c
index fdadf1d..b279cbe 100644
--- a/general.c
+++ b/general.c
@@ -544,6 +544,28 @@ file_exists (fn)
 }
 
 int
+tilde_file_exists (fn)
+     char *fn;
+{
+  struct stat sb;
+  char *slash, *dirpart;
+  int istildedir;
+
+  istildedir = 0;
+
+  slash = strchr (fn, '/');
+  if ((slash != 0) && (slash != fn))
+    {
+      dirpart = (char *)xmalloc ((slash - fn) + 1);
+      strncpy (dirpart, fn, (slash - fn) + 1);
+      istildedir = file_isdir (dirpart);
+      free (dirpart);
+    }
+
+  return (!((slash != 0) && (slash != fn) && ! istildedir) && (stat (fn, &sb) == 0));
+}
+
+int
 file_isdir (fn)
      char *fn;
 {
diff --git a/general.h b/general.h
index 2b31c58..f6b7ab4 100644
--- a/general.h
+++ b/general.h
@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ extern int sh_openpipe __P((int *));
 extern int sh_closepipe __P((int *));
 
 extern int file_exists __P((char *));
+extern int tilde_file_exists __P((char *));
 extern int file_isdir __P((char  *));
 extern int file_iswdir __P((char  *));
 extern int dot_or_dotdot __P((const char *));