diff --git a/bin/tools/config.py b/bin/tools/config.py
index 1621a11f9c2..9e092434bb8 100644
--- a/bin/tools/config.py
+++ b/bin/tools/config.py
@@ -204,7 +204,8 @@ class configmanager(object):
         else:
             rcfilepath = os.path.expanduser('~/.openerp_serverrc')
 
-        self.rcfile = fname or opt.config or os.environ.get('OPENERP_SERVER') or rcfilepath
+        self.rcfile = os.path.abspath(
+            fname or opt.config or os.environ.get('OPENERP_SERVER') or rcfilepath)
         self.load()