diff --git a/src/base/api.lua b/src/base/api.lua
index a32a75b8..080e1906 100644
--- a/src/base/api.lua
+++ b/src/base/api.lua
@@ -372,6 +372,20 @@
 	end
 
 
+--
+-- Set a new value into a mixed value field, which contain both
+-- simple strings and paths.
+--
+
+	function api.setmixed(target, name, field, value)
+		-- if the value contains a '/' treat it as a path
+		if type(value) == "string" and value:find('/', nil, true) then
+			value = path.getabsolute(value)
+		end
+		return api.setstring(target, name, field, value)
+	end
+
+
 --
 -- Set a new object value on an API field.
 --
@@ -712,14 +726,7 @@
 	api.register {
 		name = "links",
 		scope = "config",
-		kind = "string-list",
-		allowed = function(value)
-			-- if library name contains a '/' then treat it as a path to a local file
-			if value:find('/', nil, true) then
-				value = path.getabsolute(value)
-			end
-			return value
-		end,
+		kind = "mixed-list",
 		tokens = true,
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/base/context.lua b/src/base/context.lua
index a01764eb..d624289d 100644
--- a/src/base/context.lua
+++ b/src/base/context.lua
@@ -39,11 +39,11 @@
 		ctx.environ = environ or {}
 		ctx._filename = { filename } or {}
 		ctx.terms = {}
-		
+
 		-- when a missing field is requested, fetch it from my config
 		-- set, and then cache the value for future lookups
 		setmetatable(ctx, context.__mt)
-		
+
 		return ctx
 	end
 
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
 
 
 --
--- Check to see if a context's underlying configuration set is empty; that 
+-- Check to see if a context's underlying configuration set is empty; that
 -- is, it does not contain any configuration blocks.
 --
 -- @param ctx
@@ -129,17 +129,18 @@
 			-- do I need to expand tokens?
 			local field = premake.fields[key]
 			if field and field.tokens then
-				local ispath = field.kind:startswith("path")
+				local kind = field.kind
+				local ispath = kind:startswith("path") or kind:startswith("mixed")
 				value = premake.detoken.expand(value, ctx.environ, ispath)
 			end
-			
+
 			-- store the result for later lookups
 			ctx[key] = value
 		end
 
 		return value
 	end
-	
+
 	context.__mt = {
 		__index = context.fetchvalue
 	}
diff --git a/tests/actions/vstudio/cs2005/test_assembly_refs.lua b/tests/actions/vstudio/cs2005/test_assembly_refs.lua
index 2e00a029..67327fe1 100644
--- a/tests/actions/vstudio/cs2005/test_assembly_refs.lua
+++ b/tests/actions/vstudio/cs2005/test_assembly_refs.lua
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 --
 
 	local sln, prj
-	
+
 	function suite.setup()
 		_ACTION = "vs2008"
 		sln = test.createsolution()
@@ -69,4 +69,22 @@
 		</Reference>
 	</ItemGroup>
 		]]
-	end
\ No newline at end of file
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- Assemblies referenced via a token that expands to an absolute
+-- path should still end up with a relative hint path.
+--
+
+	function suite.assemblyRef_onAbsoluteToken()
+		links { "%{path.getdirectory(os.getcwd())}/Libraries/nunit.framework" }
+		prepare()
+		test.capture [[
+	<ItemGroup>
+		<Reference Include="nunit.framework">
+			<HintPath>..\Libraries\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
+		</Reference>
+	</ItemGroup>
+		]]
+	end