diff --git a/.github/workflows/__check-action.yml b/.github/workflows/__check-action.yml
index 195dabc..d69b772 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/__check-action.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/__check-action.yml
@@ -127,6 +127,28 @@ jobs:
           docker compose -f ./test/docker-compose.yml ps | grep test-service-c-1 || (echo "Service service-c is not running" && exit 1)
           (docker compose -f ./test/docker-compose.yml ps | grep test-service-a-1 && echo "Unexpected service service-a is running" && exit 1) || true
 
+  test-action-with-absolute-path:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    name: Test with absolute path
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Act
+        uses: ./
+        with:
+          compose-file: "${{ github.workspace }}/test/docker-compose.yml"
+          services: |
+            service-b
+            service-c
+
+      - name: "Assert: only expected services are running"
+        run: |
+          docker compose -f ./test/docker-compose.yml ps
+
+          docker compose -f ./test/docker-compose.yml ps | grep test-service-b-1 || (echo "Service service-b is not running" && exit 1)
+          docker compose -f ./test/docker-compose.yml ps | grep test-service-c-1 || (echo "Service service-c is not running" && exit 1)
+          (docker compose -f ./test/docker-compose.yml ps | grep test-service-a-1 && echo "Unexpected service service-a is running" && exit 1) || true
+
   test-abort-on-container-exit:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     name: Test with --abort-on-container-exit
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index d596a83..bfa9262 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ branding:
 
 inputs:
   compose-file:
-    description: "Relative path to compose file(s). It can be a list of files."
+    description: "Path to compose file(s). It can be a list of files. It can be absolute or relative to the current working directory (cwd)."
     required: false
     default: "./docker-compose.yml"
   services:
diff --git a/dist/index.js b/dist/index.js
index bbe0985..bf3921e 100644
--- a/dist/index.js
+++ b/dist/index.js
@@ -26266,13 +26266,16 @@ class InputService {
     getComposeFiles() {
         const cwd = this.getCwd();
         const composeFiles = (0, core_1.getMultilineInput)(InputNames.ComposeFile).filter((composeFile) => {
-            if (!composeFile.length) {
+            if (!composeFile.trim().length) {
                 return false;
             }
-            if (!(0, fs_1.existsSync)((0, path_1.join)(cwd, composeFile))) {
-                throw new Error(`${composeFile} does not exist in ${cwd}`);
+            const possiblePaths = [(0, path_1.join)(cwd, composeFile), composeFile];
+            for (const path of possiblePaths) {
+                if ((0, fs_1.existsSync)(path)) {
+                    return true;
+                }
             }
-            return true;
+            throw new Error(`Compose file not found in "${possiblePaths.join('", "')}"`);
         });
         if (!composeFiles.length) {
             throw new Error("No compose files found");
diff --git a/dist/post.js b/dist/post.js
index 2131416..b95a224 100644
--- a/dist/post.js
+++ b/dist/post.js
@@ -26266,13 +26266,16 @@ class InputService {
     getComposeFiles() {
         const cwd = this.getCwd();
         const composeFiles = (0, core_1.getMultilineInput)(InputNames.ComposeFile).filter((composeFile) => {
-            if (!composeFile.length) {
+            if (!composeFile.trim().length) {
                 return false;
             }
-            if (!(0, fs_1.existsSync)((0, path_1.join)(cwd, composeFile))) {
-                throw new Error(`${composeFile} does not exist in ${cwd}`);
+            const possiblePaths = [(0, path_1.join)(cwd, composeFile), composeFile];
+            for (const path of possiblePaths) {
+                if ((0, fs_1.existsSync)(path)) {
+                    return true;
+                }
             }
-            return true;
+            throw new Error(`Compose file not found in "${possiblePaths.join('", "')}"`);
         });
         if (!composeFiles.length) {
             throw new Error("No compose files found");
diff --git a/src/services/input.service.test.ts b/src/services/input.service.test.ts
index 9181904..444084d 100644
--- a/src/services/input.service.test.ts
+++ b/src/services/input.service.test.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ describe("InputService", () => {
         existsSyncMock.mockImplementation((file) => file === "/current/working/directory/file1");
 
         expect(() => service.getInputs()).toThrow(
-          "file2 does not exist in /current/working/directory"
+          'Compose file not found in "/current/working/directory/file2", "file2"'
         );
       });
 
diff --git a/src/services/input.service.ts b/src/services/input.service.ts
index 48e97b1..752852c 100644
--- a/src/services/input.service.ts
+++ b/src/services/input.service.ts
@@ -35,15 +35,19 @@ export class InputService {
   private getComposeFiles(): string[] {
     const cwd = this.getCwd();
     const composeFiles = getMultilineInput(InputNames.ComposeFile).filter((composeFile: string) => {
-      if (!composeFile.length) {
+      if (!composeFile.trim().length) {
         return false;
       }
 
-      if (!existsSync(join(cwd, composeFile))) {
-        throw new Error(`${composeFile} does not exist in ${cwd}`);
+      const possiblePaths = [join(cwd, composeFile), composeFile];
+
+      for (const path of possiblePaths) {
+        if (existsSync(path)) {
+          return true;
+        }
       }
 
-      return true;
+      throw new Error(`Compose file not found in "${possiblePaths.join('", "')}"`);
     });
 
     if (!composeFiles.length) {