diff --git a/tests/linux/afp_entry_id_smoke.c b/tests/linux/afp_entry_id_smoke.c
index 9553738..70e8685 100644
--- a/tests/linux/afp_entry_id_smoke.c
+++ b/tests/linux/afp_entry_id_smoke.c
@@ -108,6 +108,11 @@ static NWCCODE allocate_temp_dir_handle(NWCONN_HANDLE conn, const char *volume,
      * Allocate Temporary Directory Handle request.  This matches the way the
      * ncpfs tools allocate short directory handles and lets libncp choose the
      * correct request encoding for the connected server.
+     *
+     * Pass NCP_PATH_STD so libncp converts the VOL: path to NetWare's
+     * component-counted path format.  Passing the raw "SYS:" bytes makes the
+     * server interpret the request payload incorrectly and returns 0x98 before
+     * the AFP endpoint is reached.
      */
     err = ncp_ns_alloc_short_dir_handle(conn,
                                         NW_NS_DOS,
@@ -115,7 +120,7 @@ static NWCCODE allocate_temp_dir_handle(NWCONN_HANDLE conn, const char *volume,
                                         0,
                                         0,
                                         (const unsigned char *)root_path,
-                                        volume_len + 1,
+                                        NCP_PATH_STD,
                                         NCP_ALLOC_TEMPORARY,
                                         &handle,
                                         NULL);