diff --git a/docs/configuration.rst b/docs/configuration.rst
index 7c2c82dd9..ea8691387 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/configuration.rst
@@ -561,9 +561,9 @@ where specified.
 
   The command that will be run when this program is started.  The
   command can be either absolute (e.g. ``/path/to/programname``) or
-  relative (e.g. ``programname``).  If it is relative, the
-  supervisord's environment ``$PATH`` will be searched for the
-  executable.  Programs can accept arguments, e.g. ``/path/to/program
+  relative (e.g. ``programname``).  If it is relative, the program's
+  directory and supervisord's environment ``$PATH`` will be searched for
+  the executable.  Programs can accept arguments, e.g. ``/path/to/program
   foo bar``.  The command line can use double quotes to group
   arguments with spaces in them to pass to the program,
   e.g. ``/path/to/program/name -p "foo bar"``.  Note that the value of
diff --git a/supervisor/process.py b/supervisor/process.py
index 30573b07c..fab130e31 100644
--- a/supervisor/process.py
+++ b/supervisor/process.py
@@ -115,15 +115,18 @@ def get_execv_args(self):
         else:
             raise BadCommand("command is empty")
 
-        if "/" in program:
+        if os.path.isabs(program):
             filename = program
             try:
                 st = self.config.options.stat(filename)
             except OSError:
                 st = None
-
         else:
             path = self.config.options.get_path()
+            # Search the root config directory of this program if it's set and is absolute.
+            if self.config.directory is not None and os.path.isabs(self.config.directory):
+                path.insert(0, self.config.directory)
+
             found = None
             st = None
             for dir in path:
diff --git a/supervisor/tests/test_process.py b/supervisor/tests/test_process.py
index 74a7123aa..f0f8ab8c2 100644
--- a/supervisor/tests/test_process.py
+++ b/supervisor/tests/test_process.py
@@ -167,6 +167,49 @@ def test_get_execv_args_rel(self):
         self.assertEqual(args[0], '/bin/sh')
         self.assertEqual(args[1], ['sh', 'foo'])
 
+    def test_get_execv_args_rel_in_program_dir(self):
+        executable = 'sh foo'
+        directory = "/my/program/dir/"
+        program = os.path.join(directory, 'sh')
+        options = DummyOptions()
+        config = DummyPConfig(options, 'sh', executable, directory)
+        instance = self._makeOne(config)
+        def stat(filename):
+            if filename == program:
+                return True
+            else:
+                raise OSError
+
+        config.options.stat = Mock(config.options.stat, side_effect=stat)
+        args = instance.get_execv_args()
+        self.assertEqual(len(args), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(args[0], program)
+        self.assertEqual(args[1], ['sh', 'foo'])
+
+    def test_get_execv_args_rel_in_path(self):
+        executable = 'test_program foo'
+        directory = "/my/program/dir/"
+        program = os.path.join(directory, 'test_program')
+        options = DummyOptions()
+        config = DummyPConfig(options, 'test_program', executable)
+        instance = self._makeOne(config)
+        def stat(filename):
+            if filename == program:
+                return True
+            else:
+                raise OSError
+
+        def get_path():
+            return ["/usr/bin", directory]
+
+        config.options.stat = Mock(config.options.stat, side_effect=stat)
+        config.options.get_path = Mock(config.options.get_path, side_effect=get_path)
+
+        args = instance.get_execv_args()
+        self.assertEqual(len(args), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(args[0], program)
+        self.assertEqual(args[1], ['test_program', 'foo'])
+
     def test_record_spawnerr(self):
         options = DummyOptions()
         config = DummyPConfig(options, 'test', '/test')