diff --git a/administrator/components/com_media/controllers/file.json.php b/administrator/components/com_media/controllers/file.json.php
index 593269413a7d1..99d9389e4e626 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_media/controllers/file.json.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_media/controllers/file.json.php
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public function upload()
 			$filepath = JPath::clean($files['final']);
 
 			if (!$mediaHelper->canUpload($file, 'com_media')
-				|| !strpos(realpath($filepath), JPath::clean(COM_MEDIA_BASE)) !== 0)
+				|| strpos(realpath($fileparts['dirname']), JPath::clean(COM_MEDIA_BASE)) !== 0)
 			{
 				try
 				{