diff --git a/src/os_vms.c b/src/os_vms.c
index b8ad788..6dc6ad4 100644
--- a/src/os_vms.c
+++ b/src/os_vms.c
@@ -672,9 +672,18 @@
     else if (strchr(instring,'"') == NULL)	// password in the path?
     {
 	// Seems it is a regular file, let guess that it is pure Unix fspec
-	if (decc$to_vms(instring, vms_fspec_proc, 0, 0) <= 0)
-	    // No... it must be mixed
+        if ( (strchr(instring,'[') == NULL) && (strchr(instring,'<') == NULL) &&
+	     (strchr(instring,']') == NULL) && (strchr(instring,'>') == NULL) &&
+	     (strchr(instring,':') == NULL) )
+	{
+	    // It must be a truly unix fspec
+	    decc$to_vms(instring, vms_fspec_proc, 0, 0);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+	    // It is a mixed fspec
 	    vms_unix_mixed_filespec(instring, buf);
+	}
     }
     else
 	// we have a password in the path