diff --git a/autoload/go/debug.vim b/autoload/go/debug.vim
index 1d113017f8..e2d0b9fa36 100644
--- a/autoload/go/debug.vim
+++ b/autoload/go/debug.vim
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ if !exists('s:state')
       \ 'localVars': {},
       \ 'functionArgs': {},
       \ 'message': [],
-      \ 'is_test': 0,
       \}
 
   if go#util#HasDebug('debugger-state')
@@ -507,7 +506,7 @@ function! s:out_cb(ch, msg) abort
     if has('nvim')
       let s:state['data'] = []
       let l:state = {'databuf': ''}
-      
+
       " explicitly bind callback to state so that within it, self will
       " always refer to state. See :help Partial for more information.
       let l:state.on_data = function('s:on_data', [], l:state)
@@ -589,38 +588,23 @@ function! go#debug#Start(is_test, ...) abort
   endif
 
   try
+    let l:cmd = [
+          \ dlv,
+          \ (a:is_test ? 'test' : 'debug'),
+     \]
+
+    " append the package when it's given.
     if len(a:000) > 0
-      let l:pkgname = a:1
-      if l:pkgname[0] == '.'
-        let l:pkgname = go#package#FromPath(l:pkgname)
+      let l:pkgname = go#package#FromPath(a:1)
+      if l:pkgname is -1
+        call go#util#EchoError('could not determine package name')
+        return
       endif
-    else
-      let l:pkgname = go#package#FromPath(getcwd())
-    endif
-
-    if l:pkgname is -1
-      call go#util#EchoError('could not determine package name')
-      return
-    endif
 
-    " cd in to test directory; this is also what running "go test" does.
-    if a:is_test
-      " TODO(bc): Either remove this if it's ok to do so or else record it and
-      " reset cwd after the job completes.
-      lcd %:p:h
+      let l:cmd += [l:pkgname]
     endif
 
-    let s:state.is_test = a:is_test
-
-    let l:args = []
-    if len(a:000) > 1
-      let l:args = ['--'] + a:000[1:]
-    endif
-
-    let l:cmd = [
-          \ dlv,
-          \ (a:is_test ? 'test' : 'debug'),
-          \ l:pkgname,
+    let l:cmd += [
           \ '--output', tempname(),
           \ '--headless',
           \ '--api-version', '2',
@@ -635,7 +619,10 @@ function! go#debug#Start(is_test, ...) abort
     if buildtags isnot ''
       let l:cmd += ['--build-flags', '--tags=' . buildtags]
     endif
-    let l:cmd += l:args
+
+    if len(a:000) > 1
+      let l:cmd += ['--'] + a:000[1:]
+    endif
 
     let s:state['message'] = []
     let l:opts = {
diff --git a/autoload/go/package.vim b/autoload/go/package.vim
index ced39cc446..796f62d77e 100644
--- a/autoload/go/package.vim
+++ b/autoload/go/package.vim
@@ -137,7 +137,9 @@ function! go#package#ImportPath() abort
 endfunction
 
 
-" FromPath returns the import path of arg.
+" go#package#FromPath returns the import path of arg. -1 is returned when arg
+" does not specify a package. -2 is returned when arg is a relative path
+" outside of GOPATH and not in a module.
 function! go#package#FromPath(arg) abort
   let l:cd = exists('*haslocaldir') && haslocaldir() ? 'lcd' : 'cd'
   let l:dir = getcwd()
@@ -156,10 +158,10 @@ function! go#package#FromPath(arg) abort
 
   let l:importpath = split(l:out, '\n')[0]
 
-  " go list returns '_CURRENTDIRECTORY' if the directory is not inside GOPATH.
-  " Check it and retun an error if that is the case
+  " go list returns '_CURRENTDIRECTORY' if the directory is neither in GOPATH
+  " nor in a module. Check it and retun an error if that is the case
   if l:importpath[0] ==# '_'
-    return -1
+    return -2
   endif
 
   return l:importpath
diff --git a/doc/vim-go.txt b/doc/vim-go.txt
index f552962bfb..8715995e5f 100644
--- a/doc/vim-go.txt
+++ b/doc/vim-go.txt
@@ -2026,8 +2026,9 @@ rest of the commands and mappings become available after starting debug mode.
       * Setup the debug windows according to |'g:go_debug_windows'|.
       * Make the `:GoDebug*` commands and `(go-debug-*)` mappings available.
 
-    The current directory is used if [pkg] is empty. Any other arguments will
-    be passed to the program.
+    The directory of the current buffer is used if [pkg] is empty. Any other
+    arguments will be passed to the program. When [pkg] is relative, it will
+    be interpreted relative to the directory of the current buffer.
 
     Use |:GoDebugStop| to stop `dlv` and exit debugging mode.
 
@@ -2040,7 +2041,6 @@ rest of the commands and mappings become available after starting debug mode.
     Use `-test.flag` to pass flags to `go test` when debugging a test; for
     example `-test.v` or `-test.run TestFoo`
 
-
                                                              *:GoDebugRestart*
 :GoDebugRestart