diff --git a/ai2html.js b/ai2html.js
index 4ef9225..211ac6a 100644
--- a/ai2html.js
+++ b/ai2html.js
@@ -999,10 +999,13 @@ function applyTemplate(template, replacements) {
 // Similar to Node.js path.join()
 function pathJoin() {
   var path = '';
-  forEach(arguments, function(arg) {
+  forEach(arguments, function(arg, i) {
     if (!arg) return;
     arg = String(arg);
-    arg = arg.replace(/^\/+/, '').replace(/\/+$/, '');
+    if (i > 0){
+      arg = arg.replace(/^\/+/, ''); // leading
+    }
+    arg = arg.replace(/\/+$/, ''); // trailing
     if (path.length > 0) {
       path += '/';
     }
diff --git a/test/utils-test.js b/test/utils-test.js
index fc257c0..f6382e5 100644
--- a/test/utils-test.js
+++ b/test/utils-test.js
@@ -175,6 +175,10 @@ describe('Utility function tests', function() {
     it('removes duplicate slashes', function() {
       assert.equal(lib.pathJoin('ai/', '/output/', 'image.svg'), 'ai/output/image.svg');
     })
+
+    it('retains leading slash in first argument', function() {
+      assert.equal(lib.pathJoin('/c/', '/output/', 'image.svg'), '/c/output/image.svg');
+    })
   })
 
   describe('pathSplit()', function() {