diff --git a/lib/path.js b/lib/path.js
index 001152866ffc35..019843f3eb48fe 100644
--- a/lib/path.js
+++ b/lib/path.js
@@ -788,7 +788,9 @@ const win32 = {
         }
       }
     } else if (code === 47/*/*/ || code === 92/*\*/) {
-      return path[0];
+      // `path` contains just a path separator, exit early to avoid
+      // unnecessary work
+      return path;
     }
 
     for (var i = len - 1; i >= offset; --i) {
@@ -1040,7 +1042,7 @@ const win32 = {
               if (len === 3) {
                 // `path` contains just a drive root, exit early to avoid
                 // unnecessary work
-                ret.root = ret.dir = path.slice(0, 3);
+                ret.root = ret.dir = path;
                 return ret;
               }
               isAbsolute = true;
@@ -1049,7 +1051,7 @@ const win32 = {
           } else {
             // `path` contains just a drive root, exit early to avoid
             // unnecessary work
-            ret.root = ret.dir = path.slice(0, 2);
+            ret.root = ret.dir = path;
             return ret;
           }
         }
@@ -1057,7 +1059,7 @@ const win32 = {
     } else if (code === 47/*/*/ || code === 92/*\*/) {
       // `path` contains just a path separator, exit early to avoid
       // unnecessary work
-      ret.root = ret.dir = path[0];
+      ret.root = ret.dir = path;
       return ret;
     }
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-path-parse-format.js b/test/parallel/test-path-parse-format.js
index 5d78a6f52643ad..0f70d8ae4e7a23 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-path-parse-format.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-path-parse-format.js
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ const winPaths = [
   'file',
   '.\\file',
   'C:\\',
+  'C:',
+  '\\',
   '',
 
   // unc
@@ -42,7 +44,9 @@ const winPaths = [
 ];
 
 const winSpecialCaseParseTests = [
-  ['/foo/bar', { root: '/' }]
+  ['/foo/bar', { root: '/' }],
+  ['C:', { root: 'C:', dir: 'C:', base: '' }],
+  ['C:\\', { root: 'C:\\', dir: 'C:\\', base: '' }]
 ];
 
 const winSpecialCaseFormatTests = [