QDir::exists returns false on Symbian application's private Directory

According to this thread:
http://discussion.forum.nokia.com/forum/showthread.php?222931-QDir-exists-returns-false-on-applications-private-directory&p=837116#post837116

QDir appDir(QApplication::applicationDirPath());
qDebug() << "App dir:" << QApplication::applicationDirPath();
qDebug() << "AppDir Exists:" << appDir.exists();
qDebug() << "mkpath Subdir" << QDir().mkpath(QApplication::applicationDirPath() + "/test");
qDebug() << "mkdir Subdir:" << appDir.mkdir("test");
qDebug() << "Subdir Exists:" << QDir(QApplication::applicationDirPath() + "/test").exists();

generates the following output on an E66:

[Qt Message] App dir: "C:/Private/e68fb921"
[Qt Message] AppDir Exists: false
[Qt Message] mkpath Subdir false
[Qt Message] mkdir Subdir: true
[Qt Message] Subdir Exists: true

there are two issues here, which are connected i guess:
1. The directory does exist on application startup, though Qt reports it as non-existant. (this is only on the application directory)
2. The mkpath command does not work, the mkdir command does.

the E7 behaves "correctly":

[Qt Message] App dir: "C:/Private/e07ccd81"
[Qt Message] AppDir Exists: true
[Qt Message] mkpath Subdir true
[Qt Message] mkdir Subdir: false
[Qt Message] Subdir Exists: true

the uid's are correct. it seems to be a private/public directory issue

A c5-00 (S60 3rd FP2) has the same issue (returning false on QDir::mkpath and and QDir::exists) on private directory.