diff --git a/core/includes/path.inc b/core/includes/path.inc
index 630b34c..d442adb 100644
--- a/core/includes/path.inc
+++ b/core/includes/path.inc
@@ -13,12 +13,10 @@
  * Initialize the $_GET['q'] variable to the proper normal path.
  */
 function drupal_path_initialize() {
-  if (!empty($_GET['q'])) {
-    $_GET['q'] = drupal_get_normal_path($_GET['q']);
-  }
-  else {
-    $_GET['q'] = drupal_get_normal_path(variable_get('site_frontpage', 'node'));
-  }
+ if (empty($_GET['q'])) {
+   $_GET['q'] = variable_get('site_frontpage', 'node');
+ }
+ $_GET['q'] = drupal_get_normal_path($_GET['q']);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/core/modules/simpletest/tests/path.test b/core/modules/simpletest/tests/path.test
index e1e2890..f9b629e 100644
--- a/core/modules/simpletest/tests/path.test
+++ b/core/modules/simpletest/tests/path.test
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ class UrlAlterFunctionalTest extends DrupalWebTestCase {
    */
   function testGetQInitialized() {
     $this->drupalGet('');
-    $this->assertRaw('$_GET[\'q\'] is set: 1', '$_GET[\'q\'] is properly initialized.');
+    $this->assertRaw('$_GET[\'q\'] is empty: 0', '$_GET[\'q\'] is properly initialized.');
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/modules/simpletest/tests/url_alter_test.module b/core/modules/simpletest/tests/url_alter_test.module
index 620b64e..7182785 100644
--- a/core/modules/simpletest/tests/url_alter_test.module
+++ b/core/modules/simpletest/tests/url_alter_test.module
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@ function url_alter_test_foo() {
  * Implements hook_url_inbound_alter().
  */
 function url_alter_test_url_inbound_alter(&$path, $original_path, $path_language) {
-  // Indicate whether $_GET['q'] is set.
-  if (!$path) {
-    print '$_GET[\'q\'] is set: ' . intval(isset($_GET['q']));
+  if (!request_path()) {
+    print '$_GET[\'q\'] is empty: ' . intval(empty($_GET['q']));
+    exit;
   }
 
   // Rewrite user/username to user/uid.