diff --git a/gdb/common/common-utils.c b/gdb/common/common-utils.c
index ae2dd9db2b..80de826ba7 100644
--- a/gdb/common/common-utils.c
+++ b/gdb/common/common-utils.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "common-defs.h"
 #include "common-utils.h"
 #include "host-defs.h"
+#include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
 
 /* The xmalloc() (libiberty.h) family of memory management routines.
@@ -408,3 +409,34 @@ stringify_argv (const std::vector<char *> &args)
 
   return ret;
 }
+
+/* See common/common-utils.h.  */
+
+bool
+is_regular_file (const char *name, int *errno_ptr)
+{
+  struct stat st;
+  const int status = stat (name, &st);
+
+  /* Stat should never fail except when the file does not exist.
+     If stat fails, analyze the source of error and return true
+     unless the file does not exist, to avoid returning false results
+     on obscure systems where stat does not work as expected.  */
+
+  if (status != 0)
+    {
+      if (errno != ENOENT)
+	return true;
+      *errno_ptr = ENOENT;
+      return false;
+    }
+
+  if (S_ISREG (st.st_mode))
+    return true;
+
+  if (S_ISDIR (st.st_mode))
+    *errno_ptr = EISDIR;
+  else
+    *errno_ptr = EINVAL;
+  return false;
+}
diff --git a/gdb/common/common-utils.h b/gdb/common/common-utils.h
index 2320318de7..5408c35469 100644
--- a/gdb/common/common-utils.h
+++ b/gdb/common/common-utils.h
@@ -146,4 +146,9 @@ in_inclusive_range (T value, T low, T high)
   return value >= low && value <= high;
 }
 
+/* Return true if the file NAME exists and is a regular file.
+   If the result is false then *ERRNO_PTR is set to a useful value assuming
+   we're expecting a regular file.  */
+extern bool is_regular_file (const char *name, int *errno_ptr);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/gdb/common/pathstuff.c b/gdb/common/pathstuff.c
index 02f6e44794..fc574dc32e 100644
--- a/gdb/common/pathstuff.c
+++ b/gdb/common/pathstuff.c
@@ -140,3 +140,17 @@ gdb_abspath (const char *path)
 	     ? "" : SLASH_STRING,
 	     path, (char *) NULL));
 }
+
+/* See common/pathstuff.h.  */
+
+bool
+contains_dir_separator (const char *path)
+{
+  for (; *path != '\0'; path++)
+    {
+      if (IS_DIR_SEPARATOR (*path))
+	return true;
+    }
+
+  return false;
+}
diff --git a/gdb/common/pathstuff.h b/gdb/common/pathstuff.h
index 3cb02c86d6..9f261273e6 100644
--- a/gdb/common/pathstuff.h
+++ b/gdb/common/pathstuff.h
@@ -46,4 +46,8 @@ extern gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char>
 
 extern gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> gdb_abspath (const char *path);
 
+/* Return whether PATH contains a directory separator character.  */
+
+extern bool contains_dir_separator (const char *path);
+
 #endif /* PATHSTUFF_H */
diff --git a/gdb/gdbserver/server.c b/gdb/gdbserver/server.c
index 922d5269b3..7745027628 100644
--- a/gdb/gdbserver/server.c
+++ b/gdb/gdbserver/server.c
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
 #include "common-inferior.h"
 #include "job-control.h"
 #include "environ.h"
+#include "filenames.h"
+#include "pathstuff.h"
 
 #include "common/selftest.h"
 
@@ -112,7 +114,35 @@ static int vCont_supported;
    space randomization feature before starting an inferior.  */
 int disable_randomization = 1;
 
-static char *program_name = NULL;
+static struct {
+  /* Set the PROGRAM_PATH.  Here we adjust the path of the provided
+     binary if needed.  */
+  void set (gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> &&path)
+  {
+    m_path = std::move (path);
+
+    /* Make sure we're using the absolute path of the inferior when
+       creating it.  */
+    if (!contains_dir_separator (m_path.get ()))
+      {
+	int reg_file_errno;
+
+	/* Check if the file is in our CWD.  If it is, then we prefix
+	   its name with CURRENT_DIRECTORY.  Otherwise, we leave the
+	   name as-is because we'll try searching for it in $PATH.  */
+	if (is_regular_file (m_path.get (), &reg_file_errno))
+	  m_path = gdb_abspath (m_path.get ());
+      }
+  }
+
+  /* Return the PROGRAM_PATH.  */
+  char *get ()
+  { return m_path.get (); }
+
+private:
+  /* The program name, adjusted if needed.  */
+  gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> m_path;
+} program_path;
 static std::vector<char *> program_args;
 static std::string wrapper_argv;
 
@@ -269,10 +299,10 @@ get_exec_wrapper ()
 char *
 get_exec_file (int err)
 {
-  if (err && program_name == NULL)
+  if (err && program_path.get () == NULL)
     error (_("No executable file specified."));
 
-  return program_name;
+  return program_path.get ();
 }
 
 /* See server.h.  */
@@ -3003,7 +3033,7 @@ handle_v_run (char *own_buf)
     {
       /* GDB didn't specify a program to run.  Use the program from the
 	 last run with the new argument list.  */
-      if (program_name == NULL)
+      if (program_path.get () == NULL)
 	{
 	  write_enn (own_buf);
 	  free_vector_argv (new_argv);
@@ -3011,16 +3041,13 @@ handle_v_run (char *own_buf)
 	}
     }
   else
-    {
-      xfree (program_name);
-      program_name = new_program_name;
-    }
+    program_path.set (gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> (new_program_name));
 
   /* Free the old argv and install the new one.  */
   free_vector_argv (program_args);
   program_args = new_argv;
 
-  create_inferior (program_name, program_args);
+  create_inferior (program_path.get (), program_args);
 
   if (last_status.kind == TARGET_WAITKIND_STOPPED)
     {
@@ -3765,13 +3792,13 @@ captured_main (int argc, char *argv[])
       int i, n;
 
       n = argc - (next_arg - argv);
-      program_name = xstrdup (next_arg[0]);
+      program_path.set (gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> (xstrdup (next_arg[0])));
       for (i = 1; i < n; i++)
 	program_args.push_back (xstrdup (next_arg[i]));
       program_args.push_back (NULL);
 
       /* Wait till we are at first instruction in program.  */
-      create_inferior (program_name, program_args);
+      create_inferior (program_path.get (), program_args);
 
       /* We are now (hopefully) stopped at the first instruction of
 	 the target process.  This assumes that the target process was
@@ -4288,9 +4315,9 @@ process_serial_event (void)
 	  fprintf (stderr, "GDBserver restarting\n");
 
 	  /* Wait till we are at 1st instruction in prog.  */
-	  if (program_name != NULL)
+	  if (program_path.get () != NULL)
 	    {
-	      create_inferior (program_name, program_args);
+	      create_inferior (program_path.get (), program_args);
 
 	      if (last_status.kind == TARGET_WAITKIND_STOPPED)
 		{
diff --git a/gdb/source.c b/gdb/source.c
index 04ee3b33d2..6979fb2817 100644
--- a/gdb/source.c
+++ b/gdb/source.c
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 #include "filestuff.h"
 
 #include <sys/types.h>
-#include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include "gdbcore.h"
 #include "gdb_regex.h"
@@ -670,39 +669,6 @@ info_source_command (const char *ignore, int from_tty)
 }
 
 
-/* Return True if the file NAME exists and is a regular file.
-   If the result is false then *ERRNO_PTR is set to a useful value assuming
-   we're expecting a regular file.  */
-
-static int
-is_regular_file (const char *name, int *errno_ptr)
-{
-  struct stat st;
-  const int status = stat (name, &st);
-
-  /* Stat should never fail except when the file does not exist.
-     If stat fails, analyze the source of error and return True
-     unless the file does not exist, to avoid returning false results
-     on obscure systems where stat does not work as expected.  */
-
-  if (status != 0)
-    {
-      if (errno != ENOENT)
-	return 1;
-      *errno_ptr = ENOENT;
-      return 0;
-    }
-
-  if (S_ISREG (st.st_mode))
-    return 1;
-
-  if (S_ISDIR (st.st_mode))
-    *errno_ptr = EISDIR;
-  else
-    *errno_ptr = EINVAL;
-  return 0;
-}
-
 /* Open a file named STRING, searching path PATH (dir names sep by some char)
    using mode MODE in the calls to open.  You cannot use this function to
    create files (O_CREAT).
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.server/abspath.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.server/abspath.exp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..beb1d96209
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.server/abspath.exp
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+# This testcase is part of GDB, the GNU debugger.
+
+# Copyright 2018 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+# Test that gdbserver performs path expansion/adjustment when we
+# provide just a filename (without any path specifications) to it.
+
+load_lib gdbserver-support.exp
+
+standard_testfile normal.c
+
+if { [skip_gdbserver_tests] } {
+    return 0
+}
+
+if { [prepare_for_testing "failed to prepare" $testfile $srcfile debug] } {
+    return -1
+}
+
+# Make sure we're disconnected, in case we're testing with an
+# extended-remote board, therefore already connected.
+gdb_test "disconnect" ".*"
+
+set target_exec [gdbserver_download_current_prog]
+
+# Switch to where $target_exec lives, and execute gdbserver from
+# there.
+with_cwd "[file dirname $target_exec]" {
+    set target_execname [file tail $target_exec]
+    set res [gdbserver_start "" $target_execname]
+
+    set gdbserver_protocol [lindex $res 0]
+    set gdbserver_gdbport [lindex $res 1]
+    gdb_target_cmd $gdbserver_protocol $gdbserver_gdbport
+
+    gdb_breakpoint main
+    gdb_test "continue" "Breakpoint $decimal.* main.*" "continue to main"
+}
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/lib/gdb.exp b/gdb/testsuite/lib/gdb.exp
index 3cd10dcafb..97b519aed7 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/lib/gdb.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/lib/gdb.exp
@@ -2054,6 +2054,30 @@ proc save_vars { vars body } {
     }
 }
 
+# Run tests in BODY with the current working directory (CWD) set to
+# DIR.  When BODY is finished, restore the original CWD.  Return the
+# result of BODY.
+#
+# This procedure doesn't check if DIR is a valid directory, so you
+# have to make sure of that.
+
+proc with_cwd { dir body } {
+    set saved_dir [pwd]
+    verbose -log "Switching to directory $dir (saved CWD: $saved_dir)."
+    cd $dir
+
+    set code [catch {uplevel 1 $body} result]
+
+    verbose -log "Switching back to $saved_dir."
+    cd $saved_dir
+
+    if {$code == 1} {
+	global errorInfo errorCode
+	return -code $code -errorinfo $errorInfo -errorcode $errorCode $result
+    } else {
+	return -code $code $result
+    }
+}
 
 # Run tests in BODY with GDB prompt and variable $gdb_prompt set to
 # PROMPT.  When BODY is finished, restore GDB prompt and variable
