diff --git a/load.c b/load.c
index 6ddf4697a7..ecb21faa72 100644
--- a/load.c
+++ b/load.c
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ rb_feature_p(rb_vm_t *vm, const char *feature, const char *ext, int rb, int expa
 
     loading_tbl = get_loading_table(vm);
     f = 0;
-    if (!expanded) {
+    if (!expanded && !rb_is_absolute_path(feature)) {
         struct loaded_feature_searching fs;
         fs.name = feature;
         fs.len = len;
diff --git a/version.h b/version.h
index 578521e471..f01ab264a7 100644
--- a/version.h
+++ b/version.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 # define RUBY_VERSION_MINOR RUBY_API_VERSION_MINOR
 #define RUBY_VERSION_TEENY 7
 #define RUBY_RELEASE_DATE RUBY_RELEASE_YEAR_STR"-"RUBY_RELEASE_MONTH_STR"-"RUBY_RELEASE_DAY_STR
-#define RUBY_PATCHLEVEL 256
+#define RUBY_PATCHLEVEL 257
 
 #include "ruby/version.h"
 #include "ruby/internal/abi.h"