diff --git a/block.c b/block.c
index e95f613aa4..5e7fc9eb27 100644
--- a/block.c
+++ b/block.c
@@ -3123,22 +3123,70 @@ int bdrv_snapshot_load_tmp(BlockDriverState *bs,
     return -ENOTSUP;
 }
 
+/* backing_file can either be relative, or absolute, or a protocol.  If it is
+ * relative, it must be relative to the chain.  So, passing in bs->filename
+ * from a BDS as backing_file should not be done, as that may be relative to
+ * the CWD rather than the chain. */
 BlockDriverState *bdrv_find_backing_image(BlockDriverState *bs,
         const char *backing_file)
 {
-    if (!bs->drv) {
+    char *filename_full = NULL;
+    char *backing_file_full = NULL;
+    char *filename_tmp = NULL;
+    int is_protocol = 0;
+    BlockDriverState *curr_bs = NULL;
+    BlockDriverState *retval = NULL;
+
+    if (!bs || !bs->drv || !backing_file) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    if (bs->backing_hd) {
-        if (strcmp(bs->backing_file, backing_file) == 0) {
-            return bs->backing_hd;
+    filename_full     = g_malloc(PATH_MAX);
+    backing_file_full = g_malloc(PATH_MAX);
+    filename_tmp      = g_malloc(PATH_MAX);
+
+    is_protocol = path_has_protocol(backing_file);
+
+    for (curr_bs = bs; curr_bs->backing_hd; curr_bs = curr_bs->backing_hd) {
+
+        /* If either of the filename paths is actually a protocol, then
+         * compare unmodified paths; otherwise make paths relative */
+        if (is_protocol || path_has_protocol(curr_bs->backing_file)) {
+            if (strcmp(backing_file, curr_bs->backing_file) == 0) {
+                retval = curr_bs->backing_hd;
+                break;
+            }
         } else {
-            return bdrv_find_backing_image(bs->backing_hd, backing_file);
+            /* If not an absolute filename path, make it relative to the current
+             * image's filename path */
+            path_combine(filename_tmp, PATH_MAX, curr_bs->filename,
+                         backing_file);
+
+            /* We are going to compare absolute pathnames */
+            if (!realpath(filename_tmp, filename_full)) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            /* We need to make sure the backing filename we are comparing against
+             * is relative to the current image filename (or absolute) */
+            path_combine(filename_tmp, PATH_MAX, curr_bs->filename,
+                         curr_bs->backing_file);
+
+            if (!realpath(filename_tmp, backing_file_full)) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if (strcmp(backing_file_full, filename_full) == 0) {
+                retval = curr_bs->backing_hd;
+                break;
+            }
         }
     }
 
-    return NULL;
+    g_free(filename_full);
+    g_free(backing_file_full);
+    g_free(filename_tmp);
+    return retval;
 }
 
 int bdrv_get_backing_file_depth(BlockDriverState *bs)