--- a/src/misc1.c
+++ b/src/misc1.c
@@ -8447,6 +8447,46 @@ fast_breakcheck()
 }
 
 /*
+ * Invoke expand_wildcards() for one pattern.
+ * Expand items like "%:h" before the expansion.
+ * Returns OK or FAIL.
+ */
+    int
+expand_wildcards_eval(pat, num_file, file, flags)
+    char_u	 **pat;		/* pointer to input pattern */
+    int		  *num_file;	/* resulting number of files */
+    char_u	***file;	/* array of resulting files */
+    int		   flags;	/* EW_DIR, etc. */
+{
+    int		ret = FAIL;
+    char_u	*eval_pat = NULL;
+    char_u	*exp_pat = *pat;
+    char_u      *ignored_msg;
+    int		usedlen;
+
+    if (*exp_pat == '%' || *exp_pat == '#' || *exp_pat == '<')
+    {
+	++emsg_off;
+	eval_pat = eval_vars(exp_pat, exp_pat, &usedlen,
+						    NULL, &ignored_msg, NULL);
+	--emsg_off;
+	if (eval_pat != NULL)
+	    exp_pat = concat_str(eval_pat, exp_pat + usedlen);
+    }
+
+    if (exp_pat != NULL)
+	ret = expand_wildcards(1, &exp_pat, num_file, file, flags);
+
+    if (eval_pat != NULL)
+    {
+	vim_free(exp_pat);
+	vim_free(eval_pat);
+    }
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
+/*
  * Expand wildcards.  Calls gen_expand_wildcards() and removes files matching
  * 'wildignore'.
  * Returns OK or FAIL.