diff --git a/components/options.php b/components/options.php
index 9feeaac4ff596db57ae3921a319ed68abf857012..c999164fb300fb00c633c9e33bd0b92a84bc3166 100644
--- a/components/options.php
+++ b/components/options.php
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ function clearHackergotchi() {
 	global $session;
 	$imagefilepath = hackergotchiPath($session->username);
 
-	if (unlink($imagefilepath)) {
+	if (unlink(realpath($imagefilepath))) {
 		return true;
 	} else { 
 		trigger_error("Unable to remove hackergotchi file", E_USER_ERROR);