diff --git a/src/lager.erl b/src/lager.erl
index 3df78ee..ebbc10e 100644
--- a/src/lager.erl
+++ b/src/lager.erl
@@ -189,21 +189,22 @@ trace_file(File, Filter, Options) when is_list(Options) ->
     trace_file(File, Filter, debug, Options).
 
 trace_file(File, Filter, Level, Options) ->
-    case validate_trace_filters(Filter, Level, {lager_file_backend, File}) of
+    FileName = lager_util:expand_path(File),
+    case validate_trace_filters(Filter, Level, {lager_file_backend, FileName}) of
         {Sink, {ok, Trace}} ->
             Handlers = lager_config:global_get(handlers, []),
             %% check if this file backend is already installed
-            Res = case lists:keyfind({lager_file_backend, File}, 1, Handlers) of
+            Res = case lists:keyfind({lager_file_backend, FileName}, 1, Handlers) of
                       false ->
                           %% install the handler
                           LogFileConfig =
                               lists:keystore(level, 1,
                                              lists:keystore(file, 1,
                                                             Options,
-                                                            {file, File}),
+                                                            {file, FileName}),
                                              {level, none}),
                           HandlerInfo =
-                              lager_app:start_handler(Sink, {lager_file_backend, File},
+                              lager_app:start_handler(Sink, {lager_file_backend, FileName},
                                                       LogFileConfig),
                           lager_config:global_set(handlers, [HandlerInfo|Handlers]),
                           {ok, installed};
@@ -216,7 +217,7 @@ trace_file(File, Filter, Level, Options) ->
               {ok, _} ->
                 %% XXX Double-check this logic for {ok, exists}
                 add_trace_to_loglevel_config(Trace, Sink),
-                {ok, {{lager_file_backend, File}, Filter, Level}};
+                {ok, {{lager_file_backend, FileName}, Filter, Level}};
               {error, _} = E ->
                 E
             end;
diff --git a/src/lager_file_backend.erl b/src/lager_file_backend.erl
index 15292d6..9e6affa 100644
--- a/src/lager_file_backend.erl
+++ b/src/lager_file_backend.erl
@@ -708,6 +708,20 @@ filesystem_test_() ->
                         ?assertMatch([_, _, "[error]", _, "Test message\n"], re:split(Bin3, " ", [{return, list}, {parts, 5}]))
                 end
             },
+            {"tracing to a dedicated file should work even if root_log is set",
+                fun() ->
+                        {ok, P} = file:get_cwd(),
+                        file:delete(P ++ "/test_root_log/foo.log"),
+                        application:set_env(lager, log_root, P++"/test_root_log"),
+                        {ok, _} = lager:trace_file("foo.log", [{module, ?MODULE}]),
+                        lager:error("Test message"),
+                        %% not elegible for trace
+                        lager:log(error, self(), "Test message"),
+                        {ok, Bin3} = file:read_file(P++"/test_root_log/foo.log"),
+                        application:unset_env(lager, log_root),
+                        ?assertMatch([_, _, "[error]", _, "Test message\n"], re:split(Bin3, " ", [{return, list}, {parts, 5}]))
+                end
+            },
             {"tracing with options should work",
                 fun() ->
                         file:delete("foo.log"),