diff --git a/lisp/net/tramp.el b/lisp/net/tramp.el
index 261fbc1139d..be13afebeba 100644
--- a/lisp/net/tramp.el
+++ b/lisp/net/tramp.el
@@ -927,6 +927,7 @@ Customize.  See also `tramp-change-syntax'."
 		 (const :tag "Ange-FTP" simplified)
 		 (const :tag "XEmacs" separate))
   :require 'tramp
+  ;; Starting with Emacs 31.1, we can use `custom-initialize-after-file' instead.
   :initialize #'custom-initialize-default
   :set #'tramp-set-syntax
   :link '(info-link :tag "Tramp manual" "(tramp) Change file name syntax"))
@@ -970,6 +971,7 @@ to be set, depending on VALUE."
 ;; Initialize the Tramp syntax variables.  We want to override initial
 ;; value of `tramp-file-name-regexp'.  We do not call
 ;; `custom-set-variable', this would load Tramp via custom.el.
+;; Starting with Emacs 31.1, we can use `custom-initialize-after-file' instead.
 (tramp--with-startup
   (tramp-set-syntax 'tramp-syntax tramp-syntax))
 
@@ -2556,7 +2558,9 @@ packages like `tramp-sh' (except `tramp-ftp')."
        `(lambda (orig-fun &rest args)
 	  (if-let* ((handler
 		     (find-file-name-handler
-		      (or (car args) default-directory) #',operation)))
+		      (if (and (car args) (file-name-absolute-p (car args)))
+			  (car args) default-directory)
+		      #',operation)))
 	      (apply handler #',operation args)
 	    (apply orig-fun args)))
        `((name . ,(concat "tramp-advice-" (symbol-name operation))))))))