diff --git a/cargo/private/cargo_build_script.bzl b/cargo/private/cargo_build_script.bzl
index eb91b0ac90..2c2a64a508 100644
--- a/cargo/private/cargo_build_script.bzl
+++ b/cargo/private/cargo_build_script.bzl
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ def _pwd_flags(args):
             fix_next_arg = False
         else:
             opt, path = split_flag(arg)
-            if opt and path:
+            if opt and path and not paths.is_absolute(path):
                 res.append("{}${{pwd}}/{}".format(opt, path))
             else:
                 fix_next_arg = (opt != None)