diff --git a/pages/preferences.php b/pages/preferences.php
index 597f954150..70ac980fea 100644
--- a/pages/preferences.php
+++ b/pages/preferences.php
@@ -421,11 +421,13 @@ JS
 
 	$oUserPicturePlaceHolderBlock = new Panel(Dict::S('UI:Preferences:ChooseAPlaceholder'), array(), 'grey', 'ibo-user-picture-placeholder');
 
-	$sUserPicturesFolder = utils::GetAbsoluteUrlAppRoot() . 'images/user-pictures/';
+	$sUserPicturesFolderRelPath = 'images/user-pictures/';
+	$sUserPicturesFolderAbsPath = APPROOT . $sUserPicturesFolderRelPath;
+	$sUserPicturesFolderAbsUrl = utils::GetAbsoluteUrlAppRoot() . $sUserPicturesFolderRelPath;
 	$sUserDefaultPicture = appUserPreferences::GetPref('user_picture_placeholder', 'default-placeholder.png');
 	$sUserPicturePlaceHolderHtml = '';
 	$sUserPicturePlaceHolderHtml .= '<p>'.Dict::S('UI:Preferences:ChooseAPlaceholder+').'</p> <div class="ibo-preferences--user-preferences--picture-placeholder">';
-	foreach (scandir($sUserPicturesFolder) as $sUserPicture)
+	foreach (scandir($sUserPicturesFolderAbsPath) as $sUserPicture)
 	{
 		if ($sUserPicture === '.' || $sUserPicture === '..')
 		{
@@ -436,7 +438,7 @@ JS
 		{
 			$sAdditionalClass = ' ibo-is-active';
 		}
-		$sUserPicturePlaceHolderHtml .= '<a class="ibo-preferences--user-preferences--picture-placeholder--image'.$sAdditionalClass.'" data-image-name="'.$sUserPicture.'" data-role="ibo-preferences--user-preferences--picture-placeholder--image" href="#"> <img src="'.$sUserPicturesFolder.$sUserPicture.'"/> </a>';
+		$sUserPicturePlaceHolderHtml .= '<a class="ibo-preferences--user-preferences--picture-placeholder--image'.$sAdditionalClass.'" data-image-name="'.$sUserPicture.'" data-role="ibo-preferences--user-preferences--picture-placeholder--image" href="#"> <img src="'.$sUserPicturesFolderAbsUrl.$sUserPicture.'"/> </a>';
 	}
 	$sUserPictureChangedSuccessMessage = Dict::S('UI:Preferences:ChooseAPlaceholder:Success:Message');
 	$oP->add_ready_script(