diff --git a/src/messages/initialize.cc b/src/messages/initialize.cc
index 016ad68c..4fc49675 100644
--- a/src/messages/initialize.cc
+++ b/src/messages/initialize.cc
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 
 #include <loguru.hpp>
 
+#define _STRINGIFY(x) #x
+#define ENSURE_STRING_MACRO_ARGUMENT(x) _STRINGIFY(x)
+
 namespace {
 struct Ipc_InitializeRequest : public IpcMessage<Ipc_InitializeRequest> {
   const static IpcId kIpcId = IpcId::Initialize;
@@ -86,11 +89,12 @@ struct InitializeHandler : BaseMessageHandler<Ipc_InitializeRequest> {
 
       // Ensure there is a resource directory.
       if (config->resourceDirectory.empty()) {
-        std::string defaultResourceDirectory = std::string(DEFAULT_RESOURCE_DIRECTORY);
+        std::string defaultResourceDirectory = std::string(
+            ENSURE_STRING_MACRO_ARGUMENT(DEFAULT_RESOURCE_DIRECTORY));
         if (defaultResourceDirectory.find("..") != std::string::npos) {
           std::string executablePath = GetExecutablePath();
           size_t pos = executablePath.find_last_of('/');
-          config->resourceDirectory = executablePath.substr(0, pos+1);
+          config->resourceDirectory = executablePath.substr(0, pos + 1);
           config->resourceDirectory += defaultResourceDirectory;
         } else {
           config->resourceDirectory = defaultResourceDirectory;