diff --git a/list.go b/list.go
index 3fb991724..5aa9bebdd 100644
--- a/list.go
+++ b/list.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"syscall"
 	"text/tabwriter"
 	"time"
@@ -116,11 +115,7 @@ func getContainers(context *cli.Context) ([]containerState, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	root := context.GlobalString("root")
-	absRoot, err := filepath.Abs(root)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	list, err := os.ReadDir(absRoot)
+	list, err := os.ReadDir(root)
 	if err != nil {
 		fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/utils_linux.go b/utils_linux.go
index c2214a233..e0d1cae74 100644
--- a/utils_linux.go
+++ b/utils_linux.go
@@ -26,12 +26,7 @@ var errEmptyID = errors.New("container id cannot be empty")
 // loadFactory returns the configured factory instance for execing containers.
 func loadFactory(context *cli.Context) (libcontainer.Factory, error) {
 	root := context.GlobalString("root")
-	abs, err := filepath.Abs(root)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	return libcontainer.New(abs)
+	return libcontainer.New(root)
 }
 
 // getContainer returns the specified container instance by loading it from state