diff --git a/Modules/getpath.c b/Modules/getpath.c
index ee784dd7f1c..9e5934d739e 100644
--- a/Modules/getpath.c
+++ b/Modules/getpath.c
@@ -236,8 +236,11 @@ copy_absolute(wchar_t *path, wchar_t *p)
     if (p[0] == SEP)
         wcscpy(path, p);
     else {
-        if (!_Py_wgetcwd(path, MAXPATHLEN))
-            Py_FatalError("unable to get the current directory");
+        if (!_Py_wgetcwd(path, MAXPATHLEN)) {
+            /* unable to get the current directory */
+            wcscpy(path, p);
+            return;
+        }
         if (p[0] == '.' && p[1] == SEP)
             p += 2;
         joinpath(path, p);