diff --git a/cmd/errors/errors.go b/cmd/errors/errors.go
index e386f82..8ba249f 100644
--- a/cmd/errors/errors.go
+++ b/cmd/errors/errors.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ var (
 	ErrExtractEula           = errors.New("user wants to extract embedded license only")
 	ErrLicenseNotFound       = errors.New("embedded license not found")
 	ErrPackRootNotFound      = errors.New("no CMSIS Pack Root directory specified. Either the environment CMSIS_PACK_ROOT needs to be set or the path specified using the command line option -R/--pack-root string")
+	ErrPackRootDoesNotExist  = errors.New("the specified CMSIS Pack Root directory does NOT exist! Please take a moment to review if the value is correct or create a new one via `cpackget init` command")
 	ErrPdscFileTooDeepInPack = errors.New("pdsc file is too deep in pack file")
 
 	// Errors related to network
diff --git a/cmd/installer/root.go b/cmd/installer/root.go
index 6ceab4c..0db2831 100644
--- a/cmd/installer/root.go
+++ b/cmd/installer/root.go
@@ -247,6 +247,7 @@ func ListInstalledPacks(listCached, listPublic bool) error {
 			return strings.ToLower(matches[i]) < strings.ToLower(matches[j])
 		})
 		for _, pdscFilePath := range matches {
+			log.Debug(pdscFilePath)
 
 			// Transform pdscFilePath into packName
 			pdscFilePath = strings.Replace(pdscFilePath, Installation.PackRoot, "", -1)
@@ -344,10 +345,16 @@ var Installation *PacksInstallationType
 // SetPackRoot sets the working directory of the packs installation
 // if create == true, cpackget will try to create needed resources
 func SetPackRoot(packRoot string, create bool) error {
+	if len(packRoot) == 0 {
+		log.Infof("Using pack root: \"%v\"", packRoot)
+		return errs.ErrPackRootNotFound
+	}
+
+	packRoot = filepath.Clean(packRoot)
 	log.Infof("Using pack root: \"%v\"", packRoot)
 
-	if len(packRoot) == 0 || (!utils.DirExists(packRoot) && !create) {
-		return errs.ErrPackRootNotFound
+	if !utils.DirExists(packRoot) && !create {
+		return errs.ErrPackRootDoesNotExist
 	}
 
 	Installation = &PacksInstallationType{
diff --git a/cmd/installer/root_test.go b/cmd/installer/root_test.go
index ffbfa06..b537c57 100644
--- a/cmd/installer/root_test.go
+++ b/cmd/installer/root_test.go
@@ -435,10 +435,20 @@ func TestUpdatePublicIndex(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func checkPackRoot(t *testing.T, path string) {
+	assert := assert.New(t)
+
+	assert.True(utils.DirExists(path))
+	assert.True(utils.DirExists(installer.Installation.DownloadDir))
+	assert.True(utils.DirExists(installer.Installation.WebDir))
+	assert.True(utils.DirExists(installer.Installation.LocalDir))
+}
+
 func TestSetPackRoot(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert := assert.New(t)
 
+	// Sanity tests
 	t.Run("test fail to initialize empty pack root", func(t *testing.T) {
 		localTestingDir := ""
 		err := installer.SetPackRoot(localTestingDir, !CreatePackRoot)
@@ -448,19 +458,36 @@ func TestSetPackRoot(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(errs.ErrPackRootNotFound, err)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("test fail to use non-existing directory", func(t *testing.T) {
+		localTestingDir := "non-existing-dir"
+		err := installer.SetPackRoot(localTestingDir, !CreatePackRoot)
+		assert.Equal(errs.ErrPackRootDoesNotExist, err)
+	})
+
 	t.Run("test initialize pack root", func(t *testing.T) {
 		localTestingDir := "valid-pack-root"
 		defer os.RemoveAll(localTestingDir)
 		assert.Nil(installer.SetPackRoot(localTestingDir, CreatePackRoot))
 
-		assert.True(utils.DirExists(localTestingDir))
-		assert.True(utils.DirExists(installer.Installation.DownloadDir))
-		assert.True(utils.DirExists(installer.Installation.WebDir))
-		assert.True(utils.DirExists(installer.Installation.LocalDir))
+		checkPackRoot(t, localTestingDir)
 
 		// Now just make sure it's usable, even when not forced to initialize
 		assert.Nil(installer.SetPackRoot(localTestingDir, !CreatePackRoot))
 	})
+
+	// Define a few paths to try out per operating system
+	paths := generatePaths(t)
+	for description, path := range paths {
+		t.Run("test "+description, func(t *testing.T) {
+			defer os.RemoveAll(path)
+			assert.Nil(installer.SetPackRoot(path, CreatePackRoot))
+
+			checkPackRoot(t, path)
+
+			// Now just make sure it's usable, even when not forced to initialize
+			assert.Nil(installer.SetPackRoot(path, !CreatePackRoot))
+		})
+	}
 }
 
 func init() {
diff --git a/cmd/installer/root_unix_test.go b/cmd/installer/root_unix_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a27356b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/installer/root_unix_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+//go:build !windows
+// +build !windows
+
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 */
+/* Copyright Contributors to the cpackget project. */
+
+package installer_test
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func generatePaths(t *testing.T) map[string]string {
+	cwd, err := os.Getwd()
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+
+	dirName := "valid-pack-root"
+	absPath := filepath.Join(cwd, dirName)
+
+	// Define a few paths to try out
+	return map[string]string{
+		"regular absolute path":     absPath,
+		"absolute path with ..":     filepath.Join(absPath, "..", dirName),
+		"multiple leading slashes":  "////" + absPath,
+		"multiple trailing slashes": absPath + "////",
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/installer/root_windows_test.go b/cmd/installer/root_windows_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..83531b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/installer/root_windows_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+//go:build windows
+// +build windows
+
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 */
+/* Copyright Contributors to the cpackget project. */
+
+package installer_test
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func generatePaths(t *testing.T) map[string]string {
+	cwd, err := os.Getwd()
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+
+	dirName := "valid-pack-root"
+	absPath := filepath.Join(cwd, dirName)
+
+	// Define a few paths to try out
+	return map[string]string{
+		"regular absolute path":     absPath,
+		"absolute path with ..":     filepath.Join(absPath, "..", dirName),
+		"absolute path with :/":     strings.Replace(absPath, ":\\", "/", 1),
+		"all forward slashes":       strings.ReplaceAll(absPath, "\\", "/"),
+		"multiple leading slashes":  strings.Replace(absPath, ":\\", ":\\\\\\\\", 1),
+		"multiple trailing slashes": absPath + "\\\\\\\\",
+	}
+}