3 files changed, 30 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/build2/functions-builtin.cxx b/build2/functions-builtin.cxx
index d6d9501..03f3592 100644
--- a/build2/functions-builtin.cxx
+++ b/build2/functions-builtin.cxx
@@ -11,13 +11,20 @@ using namespace std;
 
 namespace build2
 {
-  // Return NULL value if an environment variable is not set.
+  // Return NULL value if an environment variable is not set, untyped value
+  // otherwise.
   //
   static inline value
   getenv (const string& name)
   {
     const char* v (::getenv (name.c_str ()));
-    return v != nullptr ? value (v) : value ();
+
+    if (v == nullptr)
+      return value ();
+
+    names r;
+    r.emplace_back (to_name (v));
+    return value (move (r));
   }
 
   void
diff --git a/build2/name.hxx b/build2/name.hxx
index c341cc9..388415b 100644
--- a/build2/name.hxx
+++ b/build2/name.hxx
@@ -104,6 +104,13 @@ namespace build2
   string
   to_string (const name&);
 
+  // Store a string in a name in a reversible way. If the string ends with a
+  // trailing directory separator then it is stored as a directory, otherwise
+  // as a simple name.
+  //
+  name
+  to_name (string);
+
   // Serialize the name to the stream. If requested, the name components
   // containing special characters are quoted. The special characters are:
   //
diff --git a/build2/name.ixx b/build2/name.ixx
index c77846a..ef59442 100644
--- a/build2/name.ixx
+++ b/build2/name.ixx
@@ -23,4 +23,18 @@ namespace build2
 
     return r;
   }
+
+  inline name
+  to_name (string s)
+  {
+    if (!s.empty () && path::traits::is_separator (s.back ()))
+    {
+      dir_path d (move (s), dir_path::exact);
+
+      if (!d.empty ())
+        return name (move (d));
+    }
+
+    return name (move (s));
+  }
 }