diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/project.el b/lisp/progmodes/project.el
index 7cdaba9c07..47eb9f9982 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/project.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/project.el
@@ -1038,7 +1038,14 @@ project--read-file-cpd-relative
          (_ (when included-cpd
               (setq substrings (cons "./" substrings))))
          (new-collection (project--file-completion-table substrings))
-         (relname (let ((history-add-new-input nil))
+         (abbr-cpd (abbreviate-file-name common-parent-directory))
+         (relname (cl-letf ((history-add-new-input nil)
+                            ((symbol-value hist)
+                             (mapcan
+                              (lambda (s)
+                                (and (string-prefix-p abbr-cpd s)
+                                     (list (substring s (length abbr-cpd)))))
+                              (symbol-value hist))))
                     (project--completing-read-strict prompt
                                                      new-collection
                                                      predicate