diff --git a/src/core/importType.js b/src/core/importType.js
index 6f37743f1..23bc6350d 100644
--- a/src/core/importType.js
+++ b/src/core/importType.js
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ function constant(value) {
   return () => value
 }
 
+export function isAbsolute(name) {
+  return name.indexOf('/') === 0
+}
+
 export function isBuiltIn(name, settings) {
   const extras = (settings && settings['import/core-modules']) || []
   return builtinModules.indexOf(name) !== -1 || extras.indexOf(name) > -1
@@ -46,6 +50,7 @@ function isRelativeToSibling(name) {
 }
 
 const typeTest = cond([
+  [isAbsolute, constant('absolute')],
   [isBuiltIn, constant('builtin')],
   [isExternalModule, constant('external')],
   [isScoped, constant('external')],
diff --git a/src/rules/no-absolute-path.js b/src/rules/no-absolute-path.js
index 8503be0d5..e4cf18a63 100644
--- a/src/rules/no-absolute-path.js
+++ b/src/rules/no-absolute-path.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { isAbsolute } from '../core/importType'
 import isStaticRequire from '../core/staticRequire'
 
 function reportIfAbsolute(context, node, name) {
@@ -6,10 +7,6 @@ function reportIfAbsolute(context, node, name) {
   }
 }
 
-function isAbsolute(name) {
-  return name.indexOf('/') === 0
-}
-
 module.exports = {
   meta: {
     docs: {},
diff --git a/tests/src/core/importType.js b/tests/src/core/importType.js
index 9e552e60b..5b63910af 100644
--- a/tests/src/core/importType.js
+++ b/tests/src/core/importType.js
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@ import { testContext } from '../utils'
 describe('importType(name)', function () {
   const context = testContext()
 
+  it("should return 'absolute' for paths starting with a /", function() {
+    expect(importType('/', context)).to.equal('absolute')
+    expect(importType('/path', context)).to.equal('absolute')
+    expect(importType('/some/path', context)).to.equal('absolute')
+  })
+
   it("should return 'builtin' for node.js modules", function() {
     expect(importType('fs', context)).to.equal('builtin')
     expect(importType('path', context)).to.equal('builtin')