diff --git a/public/index.php b/public/index.php
index cd60baeb11eb..77373025f96d 100644
--- a/public/index.php
+++ b/public/index.php
@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@
 
 // Load our paths config file
 // This is the line that might need to be changed, depending on your folder structure.
-require realpath(FCPATH . '../app/Config/Paths.php') ?: FCPATH . '../app/Config/Paths.php';
+$pathsConfig = FCPATH . '../app/Config/Paths.php';
 // ^^^ Change this if you move your application folder
+require realpath($pathsConfig) ?: $pathsConfig;
 
 $paths = new Config\Paths();
 
diff --git a/spark b/spark
index c4ad645a366b..f62aeddb2978 100755
--- a/spark
+++ b/spark
@@ -33,8 +33,9 @@ if (strpos(PHP_SAPI, 'cgi') === 0)
 define('FCPATH', __DIR__ . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'public' . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR);
 
 // Load our paths config file
-require realpath('app/Config/Paths.php') ?: 'app/Config/Paths.php';
+$pathsConfig = 'app/Config/Paths.php';
 // ^^^ Change this line if you move your application folder
+require realpath($pathsConfig) ?: $pathsConfig;
 
 $paths = new Config\Paths();
 
diff --git a/user_guide_src/source/general/managing_apps.rst b/user_guide_src/source/general/managing_apps.rst
index 3f412c8fa886..c1781e032fa0 100644
--- a/user_guide_src/source/general/managing_apps.rst
+++ b/user_guide_src/source/general/managing_apps.rst
@@ -23,14 +23,14 @@ they can find the ``Paths`` configuration file:
 
 - ``/spark`` runs command line apps; the path is specified on or about line 36::
 
-    require realpath('app/Config/Paths.php') ?: 'app/Config/Paths.php';
-    // ^^^ Change this if you move your application folder
+    $pathsConfig = 'app/Config/Paths.php';
+    // ^^^ Change this line if you move your application folder
 
 
 - ``/public/index.php`` is the front controller for your webapp; the config
   path is specified on or about line 20::
 
-    require realpath(FCPATH . '../app/Config/Paths.php') ?: FCPATH . '../app/Config/Paths.php';
+    $pathsConfig = FCPATH . '../app/Config/Paths.php';
     // ^^^ Change this if you move your application folder