diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/wget.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/wget.py
index d76b1d0d38..2e92117634 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/wget.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/wget.py
@@ -108,7 +108,8 @@ class Wget(FetchMethod):
 
         fetchcmd = self.basecmd
 
-        localpath = os.path.join(d.getVar("DL_DIR"), ud.localfile) + ".tmp"
+        dldir = os.path.realpath(d.getVar("DL_DIR"))
+        localpath = os.path.join(dldir, ud.localfile) + ".tmp"
         bb.utils.mkdirhier(os.path.dirname(localpath))
         fetchcmd += " -O %s" % shlex.quote(localpath)
 
@@ -128,9 +129,9 @@ class Wget(FetchMethod):
         uri = ud.url.split(";")[0]
         if os.path.exists(ud.localpath):
             # file exists, but we didnt complete it.. trying again..
-            fetchcmd += d.expand(" -c -P ${DL_DIR} '%s'" % uri)
+            fetchcmd += " -c -P " + dldir + " '" + uri + "'"
         else:
-            fetchcmd += d.expand(" -P ${DL_DIR} '%s'" % uri)
+            fetchcmd += " -P " + dldir + " '" + uri + "'"
 
         self._runwget(ud, d, fetchcmd, False)