diff -r 27f7952eea3c -r b980e8e6aabf src/share/classes/com/sun/tools/doclets/formats/html/ConfigurationImpl.java
--- a/src/share/classes/com/sun/tools/doclets/formats/html/ConfigurationImpl.java	Wed Oct 31 08:31:40 2012 -0700
+++ b/src/share/classes/com/sun/tools/doclets/formats/html/ConfigurationImpl.java	Wed Oct 31 13:48:15 2012 -0700
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 
 package com.sun.tools.doclets.formats.html;
 
-import java.io.*;
 import java.net.*;
 import java.util.*;
 
@@ -46,6 +45,11 @@
  * use "-helpfile" option when already "-nohelp" option is used.
  * </p>
  *
+ *  <p><b>This is NOT part of any supported API.
+ *  If you write code that depends on this, you do so at your own risk.
+ *  This code and its internal interfaces are subject to change or
+ *  deletion without notice.</b>
+ *
  * @author Robert Field.
  * @author Atul Dambalkar.
  * @author Jamie Ho
@@ -362,7 +366,7 @@
                         "-helpfile"));
                     return false;
                 }
-                File help = new File(os[1]);
+                DocFile help = DocFile.createFileForInput(this, os[1]);
                 if (!help.exists()) {
                     reporter.printError(getText("doclet.File_not_found", os[1]));
                     return false;