diff --git a/servlet/staticRoute.go b/servlet/staticRoute.go
index d9c2c21..4304a05 100644
--- a/servlet/staticRoute.go
+++ b/servlet/staticRoute.go
@@ -67,8 +67,9 @@ type (
 // A FileRoute instance configured for serving text files, added to
 // the provided VinegarServlet.
 var NewTextRoute RouteConstructor = func(servlet *VinegarServlet, urlPattern string, pathlike string, useCache bool) *FileRoute {
+	fileRoot := filepath.Clean(pathlike)
 	defaultPrune := strings.Replace(urlPattern, ".*", "", -1)
-	route := FileRoute{srv: servlet, fileRoot: pathlike, UseCache: useCache}
+	route := FileRoute{srv: servlet, fileRoot: fileRoot, UseCache: useCache}
 	textRouteHandler := createCompressibleFileServletFunction(&route, defaultPrune, pathlike)
 	rootRoute := NewServletRoute(urlPattern, textRouteHandler) //i *still* kinda don't like this pattern
 	route.VinegarRoute = rootRoute
@@ -79,8 +80,9 @@ var NewTextRoute RouteConstructor = func(servlet *VinegarServlet, urlPattern str
 }
 
 var NewImageRoute RouteConstructor = func(servlet *VinegarServlet, urlPattern string, pathlike string, useCache bool) *FileRoute {
+	fileRoot := filepath.Clean(pathlike)
 	defaultPrune := strings.Replace(urlPattern, ".*", "", -1)
-	route := FileRoute{srv: servlet, fileRoot: pathlike, UseCache: useCache}
+	route := FileRoute{srv: servlet, fileRoot: fileRoot, UseCache: useCache}
 	rootRoute := NewServletRoute(urlPattern, createUncompressedFileServletFunction(&route, defaultPrune, pathlike))
 	route.VinegarRoute = rootRoute //i *kinda* don't like this pattern
 
@@ -172,7 +174,9 @@ func createCompressibleFileServletFunction(route *FileRoute, basePattern string,
 		cachedContent, exists := route.VinegarRoute.Cache.Get(stub)
 		//i don't like this logic below. we need to streamline this a lot better. it's a twisty jungle right now
 
-		resourcePath := path.Join(pathlike, filepath.Clean(stub))
+		filePath := filepath.Clean(stub)
+		pathRoot := filepath.Clean(pathlike)
+		resourcePath := path.Join(pathRoot, filePath)
 
 		if !exists {
 			content, fileExists := util.GetDiskContent(resourcePath)
@@ -209,8 +213,11 @@ func createCompressibleFileServletFunction(route *FileRoute, basePattern string,
 
 func createUncompressedFileServletFunction(route *FileRoute, basePattern string, pathlike string) VinegarHandlerFunction {
 	var fun VinegarHandlerFunction = func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
-		stub := filepath.Clean(strings.Replace(req.URL.Path, basePattern, "", 1))
-		resourcePath := path.Join(pathlike, stub)
+		stub := strings.Replace(req.URL.Path, basePattern, "", 1)
+
+		rootPath := filepath.Clean(pathlike)
+		filePath := filepath.Clean(stub)
+		resourcePath := path.Join(rootPath, filePath)
 		entry, exists := route.VinegarRoute.Cache.Get(stub)
 		if !exists {
 			route.VinegarRoute.Cache.Put(stub, resourcePath)