diff --git a/internal/archiver/archiver.go b/internal/archiver/archiver.go
index 9f2e029fb..55024b53a 100644
--- a/internal/archiver/archiver.go
+++ b/internal/archiver/archiver.go
@@ -692,6 +692,13 @@ func (arch *Archiver) Snapshot(ctx context.Context, p *restic.Progress, paths, t
 	}
 	sn.Excludes = arch.Excludes
 
+	// make paths absolute
+	for i, path := range paths {
+		if p, err := filepath.Abs(path); err == nil {
+			paths[i] = p
+		}
+	}
+
 	jobs := archivePipe{}
 
 	// use parent snapshot (if some was given)
diff --git a/internal/restic/snapshot.go b/internal/restic/snapshot.go
index 4622bb530..2eace5cfd 100644
--- a/internal/restic/snapshot.go
+++ b/internal/restic/snapshot.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ type Snapshot struct {
 // time.
 func NewSnapshot(paths []string, tags []string, hostname string, time time.Time) (*Snapshot, error) {
 	for i, path := range paths {
-		if p, err := filepath.Abs(path); err != nil {
+		if p, err := filepath.Abs(path); err == nil {
 			paths[i] = p
 		}
 	}