diff --git a/writer.go b/writer.go
index 65895b3..a7b1d5d 100644
--- a/writer.go
+++ b/writer.go
@@ -216,6 +216,10 @@ func (aw *Writer) WriteHeader(hdr *Header) error {
 			}
 			aw.string(s.next(16), "/"+strconv.Itoa(offset))
 		} else {
+			// File names beginning with "/" aren't real file names - don't append "/" to them.
+			if hdr.Name[0] != '/' {
+				hdr.Name = hdr.Name + "/"
+			}
 			aw.string(s.next(16), hdr.Name)
 		}
 	case BSD: