diff --git a/libexec/bats-exec-test b/libexec/bats-exec-test
index 266d15c..564aa23 100755
--- a/libexec/bats-exec-test
+++ b/libexec/bats-exec-test
@@ -30,13 +30,20 @@ BATS_TEST_DIRNAME="$(dirname "$BATS_TEST_FILENAME")"
 BATS_TEST_NAMES=()
 
 load() {
-  local filename="$BATS_TEST_DIRNAME/$1.bash"
+  local inc="$1"
+  local filename
+
+  if [[ "${inc}" == "/"* ]] ; then
+    filename="${inc}"
+  else
+    filename="$BATS_TEST_DIRNAME/${inc}.bash"
+  fi
   [ -f "$filename" ] || {
     echo "bats: $filename does not exist" >&2
     exit 1
   }
 
-  source "$BATS_TEST_DIRNAME/$1.bash"
+  source "${filename}"
 }
 
 run() {
diff --git a/test/bats.bats b/test/bats.bats
index 7ec577a..d2efad8 100755
--- a/test/bats.bats
+++ b/test/bats.bats
@@ -117,6 +117,16 @@ fixtures bats
   [ $status -eq 1 ]
 }
 
+@test "load sources scripts by absolute path" {
+  HELPER_NAME="${FIXTURE_ROOT}/test_helper.bash" run bats "$FIXTURE_ROOT/load.bats"
+  [ $status -eq 0 ]
+}
+
+@test "load aborts if the script, specified by an absolute path, does not exist" {
+  HELPER_NAME="${FIXTURE_ROOT}/nonexistent" run bats "$FIXTURE_ROOT/load.bats"
+  [ $status -eq 1 ]
+}
+
 @test "output is discarded for passing tests and printed for failing tests" {
   run bats "$FIXTURE_ROOT/output.bats"
   [ $status -eq 1 ]