diff --git a/init.go b/init.go
index 2bddb210..0521af6b 100644
--- a/init.go
+++ b/init.go
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 )
 
 const defaultTaskfile = `# https://taskfile.dev
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ tasks:
 
 // InitTaskfile Taskfile creates a new Taskfile
 func InitTaskfile(w io.Writer, dir string) error {
-	f := filepath.Join(dir, "Taskfile.yaml")
+	f := filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, "Taskfile.yaml")
 
 	if _, err := os.Stat(f); err == nil {
 		return ErrTaskfileAlreadyExists
diff --git a/internal/compiler/v3/compiler_v3.go b/internal/compiler/v3/compiler_v3.go
index 0d129b51..a1be19e1 100644
--- a/internal/compiler/v3/compiler_v3.go
+++ b/internal/compiler/v3/compiler_v3.go
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/compiler"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/execext"
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/logger"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/templater"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/taskfile"
@@ -83,9 +83,7 @@ func (c *CompilerV3) getVariables(t *taskfile.Task, call *taskfile.Call, evaluat
 		if err := tr.Err(); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		if !filepath.IsAbs(dir) {
-			dir = filepath.Join(c.Dir, dir)
-		}
+		dir = filepathext.SmartJoin(c.Dir, dir)
 		taskRangeFunc = getRangeFunc(dir)
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/filepathext/filepathext.go b/internal/filepathext/filepathext.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6146d88e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/filepathext/filepathext.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package filepathext
+
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+)
+
+// SmartJoin joins two paths, but only if the second is not already an
+// absolute path.
+func SmartJoin(a, b string) string {
+	if filepath.IsAbs(b) {
+		return b
+	}
+	return filepath.Join(a, b)
+}
diff --git a/internal/status/checksum.go b/internal/status/checksum.go
index fc59abbe..17163a99 100644
--- a/internal/status/checksum.go
+++ b/internal/status/checksum.go
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 )
 
 // Checksum validades if a task is up to date by calculating its source
@@ -43,7 +45,7 @@ func (c *Checksum) IsUpToDate() (bool, error) {
 	}
 
 	if !c.Dry {
-		_ = os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(c.TempDir, "checksum"), 0755)
+		_ = os.MkdirAll(filepathext.SmartJoin(c.TempDir, "checksum"), 0755)
 		if err = os.WriteFile(checksumFile, []byte(newMd5+"\n"), 0644); err != nil {
 			return false, err
 		}
diff --git a/internal/status/glob.go b/internal/status/glob.go
index 6ecaa749..7d1ca1f0 100644
--- a/internal/status/glob.go
+++ b/internal/status/glob.go
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ package status
 
 import (
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"sort"
 
 	"github.com/mattn/go-zglob"
 
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/execext"
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 )
 
 func globs(dir string, globs []string) ([]string, error) {
@@ -25,17 +25,18 @@ func globs(dir string, globs []string) ([]string, error) {
 
 func Glob(dir string, g string) ([]string, error) {
 	files := make([]string, 0)
-	if !filepath.IsAbs(g) {
-		g = filepath.Join(dir, g)
-	}
+	g = filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, g)
+
 	g, err := execext.Expand(g)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
 	fs, err := zglob.Glob(g)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
 	for _, f := range fs {
 		info, err := os.Stat(f)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/setup.go b/setup.go
index a7f6d509..1b2e141a 100644
--- a/setup.go
+++ b/setup.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	compilerv2 "github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/compiler/v2"
 	compilerv3 "github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/compiler/v3"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/execext"
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/logger"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/output"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/taskfile"
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ func (e *Executor) setupTempDir() error {
 	}
 
 	if os.Getenv("TASK_TEMP_DIR") == "" {
-		e.TempDir = filepath.Join(e.Dir, ".task")
+		e.TempDir = filepathext.SmartJoin(e.Dir, ".task")
 	} else if filepath.IsAbs(os.Getenv("TASK_TEMP_DIR")) || strings.HasPrefix(os.Getenv("TASK_TEMP_DIR"), "~") {
 		tempDir, err := execext.Expand(os.Getenv("TASK_TEMP_DIR"))
 		if err != nil {
@@ -77,9 +78,9 @@ func (e *Executor) setupTempDir() error {
 		}
 		projectDir, _ := filepath.Abs(e.Dir)
 		projectName := filepath.Base(projectDir)
-		e.TempDir = filepath.Join(tempDir, projectName)
+		e.TempDir = filepathext.SmartJoin(tempDir, projectName)
 	} else {
-		e.TempDir = filepath.Join(e.Dir, os.Getenv("TASK_TEMP_DIR"))
+		e.TempDir = filepathext.SmartJoin(e.Dir, os.Getenv("TASK_TEMP_DIR"))
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/task_test.go b/task_test.go
index 137544ad..216e3968 100644
--- a/task_test.go
+++ b/task_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3"
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/taskfile"
 )
 
@@ -37,12 +38,12 @@ func (fct fileContentTest) name(file string) string {
 
 func (fct fileContentTest) Run(t *testing.T) {
 	for f := range fct.Files {
-		_ = os.Remove(filepath.Join(fct.Dir, f))
+		_ = os.Remove(filepathext.SmartJoin(fct.Dir, f))
 	}
 
 	e := &task.Executor{
 		Dir:        fct.Dir,
-		TempDir:    filepath.Join(fct.Dir, ".task"),
+		TempDir:    filepathext.SmartJoin(fct.Dir, ".task"),
 		Entrypoint: fct.Entrypoint,
 		Stdout:     io.Discard,
 		Stderr:     io.Discard,
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ func (fct fileContentTest) Run(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for name, expectContent := range fct.Files {
 		t.Run(fct.name(name), func(t *testing.T) {
-			path := filepath.Join(fct.Dir, name)
+			path := filepathext.SmartJoin(fct.Dir, name)
 			b, err := os.ReadFile(path)
 			assert.NoError(t, err, "Error reading file")
 			s := string(b)
@@ -235,7 +236,7 @@ func TestDeps(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for _, f := range files {
-		_ = os.Remove(filepath.Join(dir, f))
+		_ = os.Remove(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, f))
 	}
 
 	e := &task.Executor{
@@ -247,7 +248,7 @@ func TestDeps(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, e.Run(context.Background(), taskfile.Call{Task: "default"}))
 
 	for _, f := range files {
-		f = filepath.Join(dir, f)
+		f = filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, f)
 		if _, err := os.Stat(f); err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("File %s should exist", f)
 		}
@@ -263,7 +264,7 @@ func TestStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for _, f := range files {
-		path := filepath.Join(dir, f)
+		path := filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, f)
 		_ = os.Remove(path)
 		if _, err := os.Stat(path); err == nil {
 			t.Errorf("File should not exist: %v", err)
@@ -273,7 +274,7 @@ func TestStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	var buff bytes.Buffer
 	e := &task.Executor{
 		Dir:     dir,
-		TempDir: filepath.Join(dir, ".task"),
+		TempDir: filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, ".task"),
 		Stdout:  &buff,
 		Stderr:  &buff,
 		Silent:  true,
@@ -283,7 +284,7 @@ func TestStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, e.Run(context.Background(), taskfile.Call{Task: "gen-bar"}))
 
 	for _, f := range files {
-		if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(dir, f)); err != nil {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, f)); err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("File should exist: %v", err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -360,10 +361,10 @@ func TestGenerates(t *testing.T) {
 		fileWithSpaces = "my text file.txt"
 	)
 
-	var srcFile = filepath.Join(dir, srcTask)
+	var srcFile = filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, srcTask)
 
 	for _, task := range []string{srcTask, relTask, absTask, fileWithSpaces} {
-		path := filepath.Join(dir, task)
+		path := filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, task)
 		_ = os.Remove(path)
 		if _, err := os.Stat(path); err == nil {
 			t.Errorf("File should not exist: %v", err)
@@ -379,7 +380,7 @@ func TestGenerates(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, e.Setup())
 
 	for _, theTask := range []string{relTask, absTask, fileWithSpaces} {
-		var destFile = filepath.Join(dir, theTask)
+		var destFile = filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, theTask)
 		var upToDate = fmt.Sprintf("task: Task \"%s\" is up to date\n", srcTask) +
 			fmt.Sprintf("task: Task \"%s\" is up to date\n", theTask)
 
@@ -416,16 +417,16 @@ func TestStatusChecksum(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for _, f := range files {
-		_ = os.Remove(filepath.Join(dir, f))
+		_ = os.Remove(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, f))
 
-		_, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(dir, f))
+		_, err := os.Stat(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, f))
 		assert.Error(t, err)
 	}
 
 	var buff bytes.Buffer
 	e := task.Executor{
 		Dir:     dir,
-		TempDir: filepath.Join(dir, ".task"),
+		TempDir: filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, ".task"),
 		Stdout:  &buff,
 		Stderr:  &buff,
 	}
@@ -433,7 +434,7 @@ func TestStatusChecksum(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert.NoError(t, e.Run(context.Background(), taskfile.Call{Task: "build"}))
 	for _, f := range files {
-		_, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(dir, f))
+		_, err := os.Stat(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, f))
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 	}
 
@@ -577,13 +578,13 @@ func TestListCanListDescOnly(t *testing.T) {
 func TestStatusVariables(t *testing.T) {
 	const dir = "testdata/status_vars"
 
-	_ = os.RemoveAll(filepath.Join(dir, ".task"))
-	_ = os.Remove(filepath.Join(dir, "generated.txt"))
+	_ = os.RemoveAll(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, ".task"))
+	_ = os.Remove(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, "generated.txt"))
 
 	var buff bytes.Buffer
 	e := task.Executor{
 		Dir:     dir,
-		TempDir: filepath.Join(dir, ".task"),
+		TempDir: filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, ".task"),
 		Stdout:  &buff,
 		Stderr:  &buff,
 		Silent:  false,
@@ -594,7 +595,7 @@ func TestStatusVariables(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert.Contains(t, buff.String(), "d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e")
 
-	inf, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(dir, "source.txt"))
+	inf, err := os.Stat(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, "source.txt"))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	ts := fmt.Sprintf("%d", inf.ModTime().Unix())
 	tf := inf.ModTime().String()
@@ -605,7 +606,7 @@ func TestStatusVariables(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestInit(t *testing.T) {
 	const dir = "testdata/init"
-	var file = filepath.Join(dir, "Taskfile.yaml")
+	var file = filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, "Taskfile.yaml")
 
 	_ = os.Remove(file)
 	if _, err := os.Stat(file); err == nil {
@@ -694,7 +695,7 @@ func TestExpand(t *testing.T) {
 func TestDry(t *testing.T) {
 	const dir = "testdata/dry"
 
-	file := filepath.Join(dir, "file.txt")
+	file := filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, "file.txt")
 	_ = os.Remove(file)
 
 	var buff bytes.Buffer
@@ -719,12 +720,12 @@ func TestDry(t *testing.T) {
 func TestDryChecksum(t *testing.T) {
 	const dir = "testdata/dry_checksum"
 
-	checksumFile := filepath.Join(dir, ".task/checksum/default")
+	checksumFile := filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, ".task/checksum/default")
 	_ = os.Remove(checksumFile)
 
 	e := task.Executor{
 		Dir:     dir,
-		TempDir: filepath.Join(dir, ".task"),
+		TempDir: filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, ".task"),
 		Stdout:  io.Discard,
 		Stderr:  io.Discard,
 		Dry:     true,
@@ -964,7 +965,7 @@ func TestSummary(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, e.Setup())
 	assert.NoError(t, e.Run(context.Background(), taskfile.Call{Task: "task-with-summary"}, taskfile.Call{Task: "other-task-with-summary"}))
 
-	data, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, "task-with-summary.txt"))
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, "task-with-summary.txt"))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
 	expectedOutput := string(data)
diff --git a/taskfile/included_taskfile.go b/taskfile/included_taskfile.go
index 2a4c8d53..ec4ade08 100644
--- a/taskfile/included_taskfile.go
+++ b/taskfile/included_taskfile.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/execext"
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 )
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ func (it *IncludedTaskfile) resolvePath(path string) (string, error) {
 		return path, nil
 	}
 
-	result, err := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join(it.BaseDir, path))
+	result, err := filepath.Abs(filepathext.SmartJoin(it.BaseDir, path))
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("task: error resolving path %s relative to %s: %w", path, it.BaseDir, err)
 	}
diff --git a/taskfile/read/dotenv.go b/taskfile/read/dotenv.go
index 0ce6fed4..70b9dc1d 100644
--- a/taskfile/read/dotenv.go
+++ b/taskfile/read/dotenv.go
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ package read
 
 import (
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/joho/godotenv"
 
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/compiler"
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/templater"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/taskfile"
 )
@@ -27,10 +27,8 @@ func Dotenv(c compiler.Compiler, tf *taskfile.Taskfile, dir string) (*taskfile.V
 
 	for _, dotEnvPath := range tf.Dotenv {
 		dotEnvPath = tr.Replace(dotEnvPath)
+		dotEnvPath = filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, dotEnvPath)
 
-		if !filepath.IsAbs(dotEnvPath) {
-			dotEnvPath = filepath.Join(dir, dotEnvPath)
-		}
 		if _, err := os.Stat(dotEnvPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/taskfile/read/taskfile.go b/taskfile/read/taskfile.go
index 95348ee8..285df4b7 100644
--- a/taskfile/read/taskfile.go
+++ b/taskfile/read/taskfile.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/templater"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/taskfile"
 )
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ func Taskfile(readerNode *ReaderNode) (*taskfile.Taskfile, error) {
 		readerNode.Dir = d
 	}
 
-	path, err := exists(filepath.Join(readerNode.Dir, readerNode.Entrypoint))
+	path, err := exists(filepathext.SmartJoin(readerNode.Dir, readerNode.Entrypoint))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -140,10 +141,7 @@ func Taskfile(readerNode *ReaderNode) (*taskfile.Taskfile, error) {
 			}
 
 			for _, task := range includedTaskfile.Tasks {
-				if !filepath.IsAbs(task.Dir) {
-					task.Dir = filepath.Join(dir, task.Dir)
-				}
-
+				task.Dir = filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, task.Dir)
 				task.IncludeVars = includedTask.Vars
 				task.IncludedTaskfileVars = includedTaskfile.Vars
 			}
@@ -159,7 +157,7 @@ func Taskfile(readerNode *ReaderNode) (*taskfile.Taskfile, error) {
 	}
 
 	if v < 3.0 {
-		path = filepath.Join(readerNode.Dir, fmt.Sprintf("Taskfile_%s.yml", runtime.GOOS))
+		path = filepathext.SmartJoin(readerNode.Dir, fmt.Sprintf("Taskfile_%s.yml", runtime.GOOS))
 		if _, err = os.Stat(path); err == nil {
 			osTaskfile, err := readTaskfile(path)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -191,29 +189,19 @@ func readTaskfile(file string) (*taskfile.Taskfile, error) {
 	return &t, yaml.NewDecoder(f).Decode(&t)
 }
 
-// exists finds a Taskfile at the stated location, returning a fully qualified path to the file
 func exists(path string) (string, error) {
 	fi, err := os.Stat(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
 	if fi.Mode().IsRegular() {
-		// File exists, return a fully qualified path
-		result, err := filepath.Abs(path)
-		if err != nil {
-			return "", err
-		}
-		return result, nil
+		return path, nil
 	}
 
 	for _, n := range defaultTaskfiles {
-		fpath := filepath.Join(path, n)
+		fpath := filepathext.SmartJoin(path, n)
 		if _, err := os.Stat(fpath); err == nil {
-			result, err := filepath.Abs(fpath)
-			if err != nil {
-				return "", err
-			}
-			return result, nil
+			return fpath, nil
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -228,14 +216,14 @@ func checkCircularIncludes(node *ReaderNode) error {
 		return errors.New("task: failed to check for include cycle: node.Parent was nil")
 	}
 	var curNode = node
-	var basePath = filepath.Join(node.Dir, node.Entrypoint)
+	var basePath = filepathext.SmartJoin(node.Dir, node.Entrypoint)
 	for curNode.Parent != nil {
 		curNode = curNode.Parent
-		curPath := filepath.Join(curNode.Dir, curNode.Entrypoint)
+		curPath := filepathext.SmartJoin(curNode.Dir, curNode.Entrypoint)
 		if curPath == basePath {
 			return fmt.Errorf("task: include cycle detected between %s <--> %s",
 				curPath,
-				filepath.Join(node.Parent.Dir, node.Parent.Entrypoint),
+				filepathext.SmartJoin(node.Parent.Dir, node.Parent.Entrypoint),
 			)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/taskfile/read/taskvars.go b/taskfile/read/taskvars.go
index 84285327..f920384e 100644
--- a/taskfile/read/taskvars.go
+++ b/taskfile/read/taskvars.go
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ package read
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/taskfile"
 )
 
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 func Taskvars(dir string) (*taskfile.Vars, error) {
 	vars := &taskfile.Vars{}
 
-	path := filepath.Join(dir, "Taskvars.yml")
+	path := filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, "Taskvars.yml")
 	if _, err := os.Stat(path); err == nil {
 		vars, err = readTaskvars(path)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func Taskvars(dir string) (*taskfile.Vars, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	path = filepath.Join(dir, fmt.Sprintf("Taskvars_%s.yml", runtime.GOOS))
+	path = filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, fmt.Sprintf("Taskvars_%s.yml", runtime.GOOS))
 	if _, err := os.Stat(path); err == nil {
 		osVars, err := readTaskvars(path)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/variables.go b/variables.go
index b9faa720..80a232a3 100644
--- a/variables.go
+++ b/variables.go
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 package task
 
 import (
-	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/execext"
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/status"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/templater"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/taskfile"
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ func (e *Executor) compiledTask(call taskfile.Call, evaluateShVars bool) (*taskf
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if e.Dir != "" && !filepath.IsAbs(new.Dir) {
-		new.Dir = filepath.Join(e.Dir, new.Dir)
+	if e.Dir != "" {
+		new.Dir = filepathext.SmartJoin(e.Dir, new.Dir)
 	}
 	if new.Prefix == "" {
 		new.Prefix = new.Task