diff --git a/swh/model/from_disk.py b/swh/model/from_disk.py
--- a/swh/model/from_disk.py
+++ b/swh/model/from_disk.py
@@ -300,16 +300,17 @@
 
     Args:
       root_path (bytes): path to the root directory
-      patterns (list of byte): patterns to match
+      patterns (list of byte): shell patterns to match
 
      Yields:
         an SRE_Pattern object
     """
     absolute_root_path = os.path.abspath(root_path)
     for pattern in patterns:
-        for path in glob.glob(pattern):
-            absolute_path = os.path.abspath(path)
-            if not absolute_path.startswith(absolute_root_path):
+        if os.path.isabs(pattern):
+            pattern = os.path.relpath(pattern, root_path)
+        for path in glob.glob(pattern, root_dir=absolute_root_path):
+            if os.path.isabs(path) and not path.startswith(absolute_root_path):
                 error_msg = (
                     b'The path "' + path + b'" is not a subdirectory or relative '
                     b'to the root directory path: "' + root_path + b'"'