diff --git a/core/commands/pin.go b/core/commands/pin.go
index 8f64863463e..272ac772f0f 100644
--- a/core/commands/pin.go
+++ b/core/commands/pin.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	dag "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/merkledag"
 	path "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/path"
 	pin "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/pin"
+	uio "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/unixfs/io"
 
 	context "context"
 	u "gx/ipfs/QmWbjfz3u6HkAdPh34dgPchGbQjob6LXLhAeCGii2TX69n/go-ipfs-util"
@@ -377,13 +378,18 @@ new pin and removing the old one.
 			return
 		}
 
-		fromc, err := core.ResolveToCid(req.Context(), n, from)
+		r := &path.Resolver{
+			DAG:         n.DAG,
+			ResolveOnce: uio.ResolveUnixfsOnce,
+		}
+
+		fromc, err := core.ResolveToCid(req.Context(), n.Namesys, r, from)
 		if err != nil {
 			res.SetError(err, cmds.ErrNormal)
 			return
 		}
 
-		toc, err := core.ResolveToCid(req.Context(), n, to)
+		toc, err := core.ResolveToCid(req.Context(), n.Namesys, r, to)
 		if err != nil {
 			res.SetError(err, cmds.ErrNormal)
 			return
@@ -486,13 +492,18 @@ func pinLsKeys(args []string, typeStr string, ctx context.Context, n *core.IpfsN
 
 	keys := make(map[string]RefKeyObject)
 
+	r := &path.Resolver{
+		DAG:         n.DAG,
+		ResolveOnce: uio.ResolveUnixfsOnce,
+	}
+
 	for _, p := range args {
 		pth, err := path.ParsePath(p)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		c, err := core.ResolveToCid(ctx, n, pth)
+		c, err := core.ResolveToCid(ctx, n.Namesys, r, pth)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/core/corerepo/pinning.go b/core/corerepo/pinning.go
index 72993eb79db..908e7efaf3c 100644
--- a/core/corerepo/pinning.go
+++ b/core/corerepo/pinning.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core"
 	path "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/path"
+	uio "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/unixfs/io"
 
 	cid "gx/ipfs/QmYhQaCYEcaPPjxJX7YcPcVKkQfRy6sJ7B3XmGFk82XYdQ/go-cid"
 	node "gx/ipfs/Qmb3Hm9QDFmfYuET4pu7Kyg8JV78jFa1nvZx5vnCZsK4ck/go-ipld-format"
@@ -26,13 +27,19 @@ import (
 
 func Pin(n *core.IpfsNode, ctx context.Context, paths []string, recursive bool) ([]*cid.Cid, error) {
 	dagnodes := make([]node.Node, 0)
+
+	r := &path.Resolver{
+		DAG:         n.DAG,
+		ResolveOnce: uio.ResolveUnixfsOnce,
+	}
+
 	for _, fpath := range paths {
 		p, err := path.ParsePath(fpath)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		dagnode, err := core.Resolve(ctx, n.Namesys, n.Resolver, p)
+		dagnode, err := core.Resolve(ctx, n.Namesys, r, p)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("pin: %s", err)
 		}
@@ -61,15 +68,20 @@ func Pin(n *core.IpfsNode, ctx context.Context, paths []string, recursive bool)
 }
 
 func Unpin(n *core.IpfsNode, ctx context.Context, paths []string, recursive bool) ([]*cid.Cid, error) {
-
 	var unpinned []*cid.Cid
+
+	r := &path.Resolver{
+		DAG:         n.DAG,
+		ResolveOnce: uio.ResolveUnixfsOnce,
+	}
+
 	for _, p := range paths {
 		p, err := path.ParsePath(p)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		k, err := core.ResolveToCid(ctx, n, p)
+		k, err := core.ResolveToCid(ctx, n.Namesys, r, p)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/core/pathresolver.go b/core/pathresolver.go
index d5336bc2db8..830150b537c 100644
--- a/core/pathresolver.go
+++ b/core/pathresolver.go
@@ -57,14 +57,14 @@ func Resolve(ctx context.Context, nsys namesys.NameSystem, r *path.Resolver, p p
 	return r.ResolvePath(ctx, p)
 }
 
-// ResolveToKey resolves a path to a key.
+// ResolveToCid resolves a path to a cid.
 //
-// It first checks if the path is already in the form of just a key (<key> or
-// /ipfs/<key>) and returns immediately if so. Otherwise, it falls back onto
+// It first checks if the path is already in the form of just a cid (<cid> or
+// /ipfs/<cid>) and returns immediately if so. Otherwise, it falls back onto
 // Resolve to perform resolution of the dagnode being referenced.
-func ResolveToCid(ctx context.Context, n *IpfsNode, p path.Path) (*cid.Cid, error) {
+func ResolveToCid(ctx context.Context, nsys namesys.NameSystem, r *path.Resolver, p path.Path) (*cid.Cid, error) {
 
-	// If the path is simply a key, parse and return it. Parsed paths are already
+	// If the path is simply a cid, parse and return it. Parsed paths are already
 	// normalized (read: prepended with /ipfs/ if needed), so segment[1] should
 	// always be the key.
 	if p.IsJustAKey() {
@@ -77,12 +77,12 @@ func ResolveToCid(ctx context.Context, n *IpfsNode, p path.Path) (*cid.Cid, erro
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	dagnode, err := Resolve(ctx, n.Namesys, n.Resolver, head)
+	dagnode, err := Resolve(ctx, nsys, r, head)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// Extract and return the key of the link to the target dag node.
+	// Extract and return the cid of the link to the target dag node.
 	link, _, err := dagnode.ResolveLink([]string{tail})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0250-files-api.sh b/test/sharness/t0250-files-api.sh
index dd48de2ffbe..ffd5bc8adc6 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0250-files-api.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0250-files-api.sh
@@ -72,6 +72,16 @@ test_sharding() {
 		test_cmp file_out file_exp
 	'
 
+	test_expect_success "can pin a file from sharded directory" '
+		ipfs files stat --hash /foo/file42 > pin_file_hash &&
+		ipfs pin add < pin_file_hash > pin_hash
+	'
+
+	test_expect_success "can unpin a file from sharded directory" '
+		read -r _ HASH _ < pin_hash &&
+		ipfs pin rm $HASH
+	'
+
 	test_expect_success "output object was really sharded" '
 		ipfs files stat --hash /foo > expected_foo_hash &&
 		echo QmPkwLJTYZRGPJ8Lazr9qPdrLmswPtUjaDbEpmR9jEh1se > actual_foo_hash &&