diff --git a/lua/fzf-lua/path.lua b/lua/fzf-lua/path.lua
index 513b3917..3e8a3b88 100644
--- a/lua/fzf-lua/path.lua
+++ b/lua/fzf-lua/path.lua
@@ -269,6 +269,12 @@ function M.shorten(path, max_len)
   local parts = {}
   local start_idx = 1
   max_len = max_len and tonumber(max_len) > 0 and max_len or 1
+  if utils.__IS_WINDOWS and M.is_absolute(path) then
+    -- do not shorten "C:\" to "C", for glob to succeed
+    -- we need the paths to start with a valid drive spec
+    table.insert(parts, path:sub(1, 2))
+    start_idx = 4
+  end
   repeat
     local i = find_next_separator(path, start_idx)
     local end_idx = i and start_idx + math.min(i - start_idx, max_len) - 1 or nil
diff --git a/tests/path_spec.lua b/tests/path_spec.lua
index a86114a0..14102213 100644
--- a/tests/path_spec.lua
+++ b/tests/path_spec.lua
@@ -308,11 +308,13 @@ describe("Testing path module", function()
     assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[/foo/bar]]), [[\f\bar]])
     assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[/foo/bar\baz]]), [[\f\b\baz]])
     assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[\]]), [[\]])
-    assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[c:\foo]]), [[c\foo]])
-    assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[c:\foo\bar]]), [[c\f\bar]])
-    assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[c:\foo\bar\baz]]), [[c\f\b\baz]])
-    assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[c:\.foo\.bar\baz]]), [[c\.f\.b\baz]])
-    assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[c:/foo\bar]]), [[c/f/bar]])
+    assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[c:/]]), [[c:/]])
+    assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[c:\]]), [[c:\]])
+    assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[c:\foo]]), [[c:\foo]])
+    assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[c:\foo\bar]]), [[c:\f\bar]])
+    assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[c:\foo\bar\baz]]), [[c:\f\b\baz]])
+    assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[c:\.foo\.bar\baz]]), [[c:\.f\.b\baz]])
+    assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[c:/foo\bar]]), [[c:/f/bar]])
     assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[~/foo/bar]]), [[~/f/bar]])
     assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[~\foo\bar]]), [[~\f\bar]])
     assert.are.equal(path.shorten([[~\foo/bar]]), [[~\f\bar]])