diff --git a/doc/src/history.adoc b/doc/src/history.adoc
index 438d193736..a1c6b557f9 100644
--- a/doc/src/history.adoc
+++ b/doc/src/history.adoc
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 [[b2.history]]
 = History
 
+== Version 5.3.0
+
+* Fix command database output file path when an output dir is not given.
+  -- _René Ferdinand Rivera Morell_
+
 == Version 5.2.1
 
 This patch reverts the change to define `_HAS_EXCEPTIONS=0` for Dinkumware
diff --git a/src/build/version.jam b/src/build/version.jam
index 674df90dc5..42d7f8a630 100644
--- a/src/build/version.jam
+++ b/src/build/version.jam
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ import numbers ;
 
 # Mirror engine JAM_VERSION
 .major = 5 ;
-.minor = 2 ;
-.patch = 1 ;
+.minor = 3 ;
+.patch = 0 ;
 
 
 rule build ( )
diff --git a/src/engine/mod_command_db.cpp b/src/engine/mod_command_db.cpp
index 5efaad9d8e..d0ba30bb1f 100644
--- a/src/engine/mod_command_db.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/mod_command_db.cpp
@@ -124,13 +124,17 @@ struct database
 	void exit_main(int status)
 	{
 		if (status == EXIT_FAIL) return;
-		std::string filename = output_filename;
+		std::string filename;
 		if (!b2::paths::is_rooted(output_filename))
 		{
 			if (!b2::paths::is_rooted(output_directory))
 				filename = b2::cwd_str() + "/";
-			filename += output_directory + "/" + output_filename;
-			filename = b2::paths::normalize(filename);
+			filename = b2::paths::normalize(
+				filename + output_directory + "/" + output_filename);
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			filename = b2::paths::normalize(output_filename);
 		}
 		if (prop_db->write_file(filename, output_format))
 			out_printf("...wrote command database '%s'...\n", filename.c_str());
diff --git a/src/engine/patchlevel.h b/src/engine/patchlevel.h
index 3fba174185..b10b05338c 100644
--- a/src/engine/patchlevel.h
+++ b/src/engine/patchlevel.h
@@ -13,5 +13,5 @@ Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
 */
 
 #define VERSION_MAJOR 5
-#define VERSION_MINOR 2
-#define VERSION_PATCH 1
+#define VERSION_MINOR 3
+#define VERSION_PATCH 0