diff --git a/Source/cmFindProgramCommand.cxx b/Source/cmFindProgramCommand.cxx
index e64ed87f2..219ad48b5 100644
--- a/Source/cmFindProgramCommand.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmFindProgramCommand.cxx
@@ -176,6 +176,13 @@ std::string cmFindProgramCommand::FindNormalProgramNamesPerDir()
     {
     helper.AddName(*ni);
     }
+
+  // Check for the names themselves (e.g. absolute paths).
+  if (helper.CheckDirectory(std::string()))
+    {
+    return helper.BestPath;
+    }
+
   // Search every directory.
   for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator
          p = this->SearchPaths.begin(); p != this->SearchPaths.end(); ++p)
@@ -200,6 +207,12 @@ std::string cmFindProgramCommand::FindNormalProgramDirsPerName()
     // Switch to searching for this name.
     helper.SetName(*ni);
 
+    // Check for the name by itself (e.g. an absolute path).
+    if (helper.CheckDirectory(std::string()))
+      {
+      return helper.BestPath;
+      }
+
     // Search every directory.
     for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator
            p = this->SearchPaths.begin();
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/DirsPerName-stdout.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/DirsPerName-stdout.txt
index f763bb086..dc1c82b5f 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/DirsPerName-stdout.txt
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/DirsPerName-stdout.txt
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 -- PROG='[^']*/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/B/testB'
+-- PROG_ABS='[^']*/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/A/testA'
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/DirsPerName.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/DirsPerName.cmake
index 54db6ddfb..6db778d7e 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/DirsPerName.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/DirsPerName.cmake
@@ -4,3 +4,9 @@ find_program(PROG
   NO_DEFAULT_PATH
   )
 message(STATUS "PROG='${PROG}'")
+
+find_program(PROG_ABS
+  NAMES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/A/testA
+  NO_DEFAULT_PATH
+  )
+message(STATUS "PROG_ABS='${PROG_ABS}'")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/NamesPerDir-stdout.txt b/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/NamesPerDir-stdout.txt
index 964e25971..fd79185ac 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/NamesPerDir-stdout.txt
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/NamesPerDir-stdout.txt
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 -- PROG='[^']*/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/A/testA'
+-- PROG_ABS='[^']*/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/A/testA'
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/NamesPerDir.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/NamesPerDir.cmake
index 49ce49d84..5f00a28d0 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/NamesPerDir.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/find_program/NamesPerDir.cmake
@@ -4,3 +4,9 @@ find_program(PROG
   NO_DEFAULT_PATH
   )
 message(STATUS "PROG='${PROG}'")
+
+find_program(PROG_ABS
+  NAMES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/A/testA NAMES_PER_DIR
+  NO_DEFAULT_PATH
+  )
+message(STATUS "PROG_ABS='${PROG_ABS}'")