diff --git a/lib/consolidate.js b/lib/consolidate.js
index 3f664ad..94c6754 100644
--- a/lib/consolidate.js
+++ b/lib/consolidate.js
@@ -116,11 +116,15 @@ function readPartials(path, options, fn) {
   function next(index) {
     if (index == keys.length) return fn(null);
     var key = keys[index];
-    var file = join(dirname(path), partials[key] + extname(path));
-    read(file, options, function(err, str){
-      if (err) return fn(err);
-      options.partials[key] = str;
-      next(++index);
+    fs.exists(partials[key], function (exists) {
+      var file = exists
+        ? partials[key]
+        : join(dirname(path), partials[key] + extname(path));
+      read(file, options, function(err, str){
+        if (err) return fn(err);
+        options.partials[key] = str;
+        next(++index);
+      });
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/test/shared/partials.js b/test/shared/partials.js
index 625b76a..b88d2e6 100644
--- a/test/shared/partials.js
+++ b/test/shared/partials.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 
 var cons = require('../../')
   , fs = require('fs')
+  , npath = require('path')
   , readFile = fs.readFile
   , readFileSync = fs.readFileSync;
 
@@ -23,6 +24,15 @@ exports.test = function(name) {
           done();
         });
       });
+      it('should support partials with absolute path', function(done){
+        var path = npath.join(__dirname, '../fixtures/', name, '/partials.'+name);
+        var locals = { user: user, partials: { partial: 'user' } };
+        cons[name](path, locals, function(err, html){
+          if (err) return done(err);
+          html.should.equal('<p>Tobi</p>');
+          done();
+        });
+      });
     }
     else {
       it('should support rendering a partial', function(done){