diff --git a/src/XMonad/Core.hs b/src/XMonad/Core.hs
index 3e3c621..e3000e4 100644
--- a/src/XMonad/Core.hs
+++ b/src/XMonad/Core.hs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ module XMonad.Core (
     getAtom, spawn, spawnPID, xfork, recompile, trace, whenJust, whenX,
     getXMonadDir, getXMonadCacheDir, getXMonadDataDir, stateFileName,
     atom_WM_STATE, atom_WM_PROTOCOLS, atom_WM_DELETE_WINDOW, atom_WM_TAKE_FOCUS, withWindowAttributes,
-    ManageHook, Query(..), runQuery, Directories(..), Dirs, getDirs
+    ManageHook, Query(..), runQuery, Directories'(..), Directories, getDirectories,
   ) where
 
 import XMonad.StackSet hiding (modify)
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ data XConf = XConf
                                       -- ^ position of the mouse according to
                                       -- the event currently being processed
     , currentEvent :: !(Maybe Event)  -- ^ event currently being processed
-    , dirs         :: !Dirs           -- ^ directories to use
+    , directories  :: !Directories    -- ^ directories to use
     }
 
 -- todo, better name
@@ -478,9 +478,9 @@ runOnWorkspaces job = do
 -- * @cacheDir@: This directory is used to store temporary files that
 -- can easily be recreated.  For example, the XPrompt history file.
 --
--- For how these directories are chosen, see 'getDirs'.
+-- For how these directories are chosen, see 'getDirectories'.
 --
-data Directories a = Dirs
+data Directories' a = Directories
     { dataDir  :: !a
     , cfgDir   :: !a
     , cacheDir :: !a
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ data Directories a = Dirs
 
 -- | Convenient type alias for the most common case in which one might
 -- want to use the 'Directories' type.
-type Dirs = Directories FilePath
+type Directories = Directories' FilePath
 
 -- | Build up the 'Dirs' that xmonad will use.  They are chosen as
 -- follows:
@@ -506,13 +506,13 @@ type Dirs = Directories FilePath
 -- The xmonad configuration file (or the build script, if present) is
 -- always assumed to be in @cfgDir@.
 --
-getDirs :: IO Dirs
-getDirs = xmEnvDirs <|> xmDirs <|> xdgDirs
+getDirectories :: IO Directories
+getDirectories = xmEnvDirs <|> xmDirs <|> xdgDirs
   where
     -- | Check for xmonad's environment variables first
-    xmEnvDirs :: IO Dirs
+    xmEnvDirs :: IO Directories
     xmEnvDirs = do
-        let xmEnvs = Dirs{ dataDir  = "XMONAD_DATA_DIR"
+        let xmEnvs = Directories{ dataDir  = "XMONAD_DATA_DIR"
                          , cfgDir   = "XMONAD_CONFIG_DIR"
                          , cacheDir = "XMONAD_CACHE_DIR"
                          }
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ getDirs = xmEnvDirs <|> xmDirs <|> xdgDirs
 
     -- | Check whether the config file or a build script is in the
     -- @~\/.xmonad@ directory
-    xmDirs :: IO Dirs
+    xmDirs :: IO Directories
     xmDirs = do
         xmDir <- getAppUserDataDirectory "xmonad"
         conf  <- doesFileExist $ xmDir </> "xmonad.hs"
@@ -528,29 +528,29 @@ getDirs = xmEnvDirs <|> xmDirs <|> xdgDirs
 
         -- Place *everything* in ~/.xmonad if yes
         guard $ conf || build
-        pure Dirs{ dataDir = xmDir, cfgDir = xmDir, cacheDir = xmDir }
+        pure Directories{ dataDir = xmDir, cfgDir = xmDir, cacheDir = xmDir }
 
     -- | Use XDG directories as a fallback
-    xdgDirs :: IO Dirs
+    xdgDirs :: IO Directories
     xdgDirs =
-        for Dirs{ dataDir = XdgData, cfgDir = XdgConfig, cacheDir = XdgCache }
+        for Directories{ dataDir = XdgData, cfgDir = XdgConfig, cacheDir = XdgCache }
             $ \dir -> do d <- getXdgDirectory dir "xmonad"
                          d <$ createDirectoryIfMissing True d
 
 -- | Return the path to the xmonad configuration directory.
 getXMonadDir :: X String
-getXMonadDir = asks (cfgDir . dirs)
-{-# DEPRECATED getXMonadDir "Use `asks (cfgDir . dirs)' instead." #-}
+getXMonadDir = asks (cfgDir . directories)
+{-# DEPRECATED getXMonadDir "Use `asks (cfgDir . directories)' instead." #-}
 
 -- | Return the path to the xmonad cache directory.
 getXMonadCacheDir :: X String
-getXMonadCacheDir = asks (cacheDir . dirs)
-{-# DEPRECATED getXMonadCacheDir "Use `asks (cacheDir . dirs)' instead." #-}
+getXMonadCacheDir = asks (cacheDir . directories)
+{-# DEPRECATED getXMonadCacheDir "Use `asks (cacheDir . directories)' instead." #-}
 
 -- | Return the path to the xmonad data directory.
 getXMonadDataDir :: X String
-getXMonadDataDir = asks (dataDir . dirs)
-{-# DEPRECATED getXMonadDataDir "Use `asks (dataDir . dirs)' instead." #-}
+getXMonadDataDir = asks (dataDir . directories)
+{-# DEPRECATED getXMonadDataDir "Use `asks (dataDir . directories)' instead." #-}
 
 -- | Get the name of the file used to store the xmonad window state.
 stateFileName :: X FilePath
@@ -575,8 +575,8 @@ stateFileName = (</> "xmonad.state") <$> getXMonadDataDir
 --
 -- 'False' is returned if there are compilation errors.
 --
-recompile :: MonadIO m => Dirs -> Bool -> m Bool
-recompile Dirs{ cfgDir, dataDir } force = io $ do
+recompile :: MonadIO m => Directories -> Bool -> m Bool
+recompile Directories{ cfgDir, dataDir } force = io $ do
     let binn = "xmonad-"++arch++"-"++os
         bin  = dataDir </> binn
         err  = dataDir </> "xmonad.errors"
diff --git a/src/XMonad/Main.hs b/src/XMonad/Main.hs
index 5f354ae..f6f354a 100644
--- a/src/XMonad/Main.hs
+++ b/src/XMonad/Main.hs
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ xmonad :: (LayoutClass l Window, Read (l Window)) => XConfig l -> IO ()
 xmonad conf = do
     installSignalHandlers -- important to ignore SIGCHLD to avoid zombies
 
-    dirs <- getDirs
+    dirs <- getDirectories
     let launch' args = do
               catchIO (buildLaunch dirs)
               conf'@XConfig { layoutHook = Layout l }
@@ -111,8 +111,8 @@ usage = do
 --
 --   * Missing XMonad\/XMonadContrib modules due to ghc upgrade
 --
-buildLaunch :: Dirs -> IO ()
-buildLaunch dirs@Dirs{ dataDir } = do
+buildLaunch :: Directories -> IO ()
+buildLaunch dirs@Directories{ dataDir } = do
     whoami <- getProgName
     let compiledConfig = "xmonad-"++arch++"-"++os
     unless (whoami == compiledConfig) $ do
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ sendReplace = do
 -- function instead of 'xmonad'.  You probably also want to have a key
 -- binding to the 'XMonad.Operations.restart` function that restarts
 -- your custom binary with the resume flag set to @True@.
-launch :: (LayoutClass l Window, Read (l Window)) => XConfig l -> Dirs -> IO ()
+launch :: (LayoutClass l Window, Read (l Window)) => XConfig l -> Directories -> IO ()
 launch initxmc drs = do
     -- setup locale information from environment
     setLocale LC_ALL (Just "")
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ launch initxmc drs = do
             , mouseFocused  = False
             , mousePosition = Nothing
             , currentEvent  = Nothing
-            , dirs          = drs
+            , directories   = drs
             }
 
         st = XState