diff --git a/aider/commands.py b/aider/commands.py
index 01374dbe1..4644a3b57 100644
--- a/aider/commands.py
+++ b/aider/commands.py
@@ -1170,12 +1170,20 @@ class Commands:
         # First collect all expanded paths
         for pattern in filenames:
             expanded_pattern = expanduser(pattern)
-            expanded_paths = Path(self.coder.root).rglob(expanded_pattern)
-
-            if not expanded_paths:
-                self.io.tool_error(f"No matches found for: {pattern}")
+            if os.path.isabs(expanded_pattern):
+                # For absolute paths, check if file exists directly
+                path = Path(expanded_pattern)
+                if path.exists():
+                    all_paths.append(path)
+                else:
+                    self.io.tool_error(f"No matches found for: {pattern}")
             else:
-                all_paths.extend(expanded_paths)
+                # For relative paths and globs, use glob from the root directory
+                matches = list(Path(self.coder.root).glob("**/" + expanded_pattern))
+                if not matches:
+                    self.io.tool_error(f"No matches found for: {pattern}")
+                else:
+                    all_paths.extend(matches)
 
         # Then process them in sorted order
         for path in sorted(all_paths):