diff --git a/src/cli/validate_config.zig b/src/cli/validate_config.zig
index 7f50e612b..e82cca21d 100644
--- a/src/cli/validate_config.zig
+++ b/src/cli/validate_config.zig
@@ -38,7 +38,10 @@ pub fn run(alloc: std.mem.Allocator) !u8 {
 
     // If a config path is passed, validate it, otherwise validate default configs
     if (opts.@"config-file") |config_path| {
-        try cfg.loadFile(alloc, config_path);
+        var buf: [std.fs.MAX_PATH_BYTES]u8 = undefined;
+        const abs_path = try std.fs.cwd().realpath(config_path, &buf);
+
+        try cfg.loadFile(alloc, abs_path);
 
         if (!cfg._errors.empty()) {
             try stdout.print("Config is not valid path={s}", .{config_path});
diff --git a/src/config/Config.zig b/src/config/Config.zig
index 6f27597fc..ca185f2ed 100644
--- a/src/config/Config.zig
+++ b/src/config/Config.zig
@@ -1687,9 +1687,7 @@ pub fn loadIter(
 }
 
 pub fn loadFile(self: *Config, alloc: Allocator, path: []const u8) !void {
-    const cwd = std.fs.cwd();
-
-    var file = try cwd.openFile(path, .{});
+    var file = try std.fs.cwd().openFile(path, .{});
     defer file.close();
 
     std.log.info("reading configuration file path={s}", .{path});