diff --git a/libcxx/src/filesystem/operations.cpp b/libcxx/src/filesystem/operations.cpp
--- a/libcxx/src/filesystem/operations.cpp
+++ b/libcxx/src/filesystem/operations.cpp
@@ -698,7 +698,9 @@
 
 path __absolute(const path& p, error_code* ec) {
   path cwd;
-  return __do_absolute(p, &cwd, ec);
+  path ret = __do_absolute(p, &cwd, ec);
+  ret.make_preferred();
+  return ret;
 }
 
 path __canonical(path const& orig_p, error_code* ec) {