diff --git a/mercurial/util.py b/mercurial/util.py
--- a/mercurial/util.py
+++ b/mercurial/util.py
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@
     stringutil,
 )
 
+try:
+    from . import rustext
+    rustext.__name__  # force actual import (see hgdemandimport)
+except ImportError:
+    rustext = None
+
 base85 = policy.importmod(r'base85')
 osutil = policy.importmod(r'osutil')
 parsers = policy.importmod(r'parsers')
@@ -3204,6 +3210,9 @@
 if safehasattr(parsers, 'dirs'):
     dirs = parsers.dirs
 
+if rustext is not None:
+    dirs = rustext.dirstate.Dirs
+
 def finddirs(path):
     pos = path.rfind('/')
     while pos != -1: