diff --git a/dvc/repo/open_repo.py b/dvc/repo/open_repo.py
index bc01f9dffd..8a09011661 100644
--- a/dvc/repo/open_repo.py
+++ b/dvc/repo/open_repo.py
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ def open_repo(url, *args, **kwargs):
         url = os.getcwd()
 
     if os.path.exists(url):
+        url = os.path.abspath(url)
         try:
             config = _get_remote_config(url)
             config.update(kwargs.get("config") or {})
diff --git a/tests/func/api/test_data.py b/tests/func/api/test_data.py
index dec5d41838..09267e8a86 100644
--- a/tests/func/api/test_data.py
+++ b/tests/func/api/test_data.py
@@ -198,11 +198,13 @@ def test_get_url_subrepos(tmp_dir, scm, local_cloud):
         local_cloud / "files" / "md5" / "ac" / "bd18db4cc2f85cedef654fccc4a4d8"
     )
     assert api.get_url(os.path.join("subrepo", "dir", "foo")) == expected_url
+    assert api.get_url(os.path.join("subrepo", "dir", "foo"), repo=".") == expected_url
 
     expected_url = os.fspath(
         local_cloud / "files" / "md5" / "37" / "b51d194a7513e45b56f6524f2d51f2"
     )
     assert api.get_url("subrepo/bar") == expected_url
+    assert api.get_url("subrepo/bar", repo=".") == expected_url
 
 
 def test_open_from_remote(tmp_dir, erepo_dir, cloud, local_cloud):