diff --git a/src/misc1.c b/src/misc1.c
index 8cb3b6f..d9f02b7 100644
--- a/src/misc1.c
+++ b/src/misc1.c
@@ -10514,18 +10514,34 @@
 	/* Shorten the filename while maintaining its uniqueness */
 	path_cutoff = get_path_cutoff(path, &path_ga);
 
-	/* we start at the end of the path */
-	pathsep_p = path + len - 1;
+	/* Don't assume all files can be reached without path when search
+	 * pattern starts with star star slash, so only remove path_cutoff
+	 * when possible. */
+	if (pattern[0] == '*' && pattern[1] == '*'
+		&& vim_ispathsep_nocolon(pattern[2])
+		&& path_cutoff != NULL
+		&& vim_regexec(&regmatch, path_cutoff, (colnr_T)0)
+		&& is_unique(path_cutoff, gap, i))
+	{
+	    sort_again = TRUE;
+	    mch_memmove(path, path_cutoff, STRLEN(path_cutoff) + 1);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+	    /* Here all files can be reached without path, so get shortest
+	     * unique path.  We start at the end of the path. */
+	    pathsep_p = path + len - 1;
 
-	while (find_previous_pathsep(path, &pathsep_p))
-	    if (vim_regexec(&regmatch, pathsep_p + 1, (colnr_T)0)
-		    && is_unique(pathsep_p + 1, gap, i)
-		    && path_cutoff != NULL && pathsep_p + 1 >= path_cutoff)
-	    {
-		sort_again = TRUE;
-		mch_memmove(path, pathsep_p + 1, STRLEN(pathsep_p));
-		break;
-	    }
+	    while (find_previous_pathsep(path, &pathsep_p))
+		if (vim_regexec(&regmatch, pathsep_p + 1, (colnr_T)0)
+			&& is_unique(pathsep_p + 1, gap, i)
+			&& path_cutoff != NULL && pathsep_p + 1 >= path_cutoff)
+		{
+		    sort_again = TRUE;
+		    mch_memmove(path, pathsep_p + 1, STRLEN(pathsep_p));
+		    break;
+		}
+	}
 
 	if (mch_isFullName(path))
 	{