diff --git a/src/option.c b/src/option.c
index fae10b6..7356816 100644
--- a/src/option.c
+++ b/src/option.c
@@ -5879,9 +5879,11 @@
 
     /* Check for a "normal" directory or file name in some options.  Disallow a
      * path separator (slash and/or backslash), wildcards and characters that
-     * are often illegal in a file name. */
+     * are often illegal in a file name. Be more permissive if "secure" is off.
+     */
     else if (((options[opt_idx].flags & P_NFNAME)
-		    && vim_strpbrk(*varp, (char_u *)"/\\*?[|;&<>\r\n") != NULL)
+		    && vim_strpbrk(*varp, (char_u *)(secure
+			    ? "/\\*?[|;&<>\r\n" : "/\\*?[<>\r\n")) != NULL)
 	  || ((options[opt_idx].flags & P_NDNAME)
 		    && vim_strpbrk(*varp, (char_u *)"*?[|;&<>\r\n") != NULL))
     {