diff --git a/src/core/context.ts b/src/core/context.ts
index 5d9de314e..db44cfef3 100644
--- a/src/core/context.ts
+++ b/src/core/context.ts
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ export function createRoutesContext(options: ResolvedOptions) {
     const routeBlock = getRouteBlock(filePath, content, options)
     // TODO: should warn if hasDefinePage and customRouteBlock
     // if (routeBlock) logger.log(routeBlock)
+
     node.setCustomRouteBlock(filePath, {
       ...routeBlock,
       ...definedPageNameAndPath,
diff --git a/src/core/customBlock.ts b/src/core/customBlock.ts
index b8c8f5da4..fd0ce5ffc 100644
--- a/src/core/customBlock.ts
+++ b/src/core/customBlock.ts
@@ -13,18 +13,7 @@ export function getRouteBlock(
   const parsedSFC = parse(content, { pad: 'space' }).descriptor
   const blockStr = parsedSFC?.customBlocks.find((b) => b.type === 'route')
 
-  if (!blockStr) return
-
-  let result = parseCustomBlock(blockStr, path, options)
-
-  // validation
-  if (result) {
-    if (result.path != null && !result.path.startsWith('/')) {
-      warn(`Overridden path must start with "/". Found in "${path}".`)
-    }
-  }
-
-  return result
+  if (blockStr) return parseCustomBlock(blockStr, path, options)
 }
 
 export interface CustomRouteBlock
diff --git a/src/core/extendRoutes.spec.ts b/src/core/extendRoutes.spec.ts
index 730a0e647..608bcb8c4 100644
--- a/src/core/extendRoutes.spec.ts
+++ b/src/core/extendRoutes.spec.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
-import { expect, describe, it } from 'vitest'
+import { expect, describe, it, beforeAll } from 'vitest'
 import { PrefixTree } from './tree'
 import { DEFAULT_OPTIONS, resolveOptions } from '../options'
 import { EditableTreeNode } from './extendRoutes'
+import { mockWarn } from '../../tests/vitest-mock-warn'
 
 describe('EditableTreeNode', () => {
+  beforeAll(() => {
+    mockWarn()
+  })
+
   const RESOLVED_OPTIONS = resolveOptions(DEFAULT_OPTIONS)
   it('creates an editable tree node', () => {
     const tree = new PrefixTree(RESOLVED_OPTIONS)
@@ -251,4 +256,46 @@ describe('EditableTreeNode', () => {
       },
     ])
   })
+
+  it('can override children path with relative ones', () => {
+    const tree = new PrefixTree(RESOLVED_OPTIONS)
+    const editable = new EditableTreeNode(tree)
+    const parent = editable.insert('parent', 'file.vue')
+    const child = parent.insert('child', 'file.vue')
+    const grandChild = child.insert('grandchild', 'file.vue')
+
+    child.path = 'relative'
+    expect(child.path).toBe('relative')
+    expect(child.fullPath).toBe('/parent/relative')
+    expect(grandChild.fullPath).toBe('/parent/relative/grandchild')
+
+    child.path = '/absolute'
+    expect(child.path).toBe('/absolute')
+    expect(child.fullPath).toBe('/absolute')
+    expect(grandChild.fullPath).toBe('/absolute/grandchild')
+  })
+
+  it('can override paths at tho root', () => {
+    const tree = new PrefixTree(RESOLVED_OPTIONS)
+    const editable = new EditableTreeNode(tree)
+    const parent = editable.insert('parent', 'file.vue')
+    const child = parent.insert('child', 'child.vue')
+
+    parent.path = '/p'
+    expect(parent.path).toBe('/p')
+    expect(parent.fullPath).toBe('/p')
+    expect(child.fullPath).toBe('/p/child')
+  })
+
+  it('still creates valid paths if the path misses a leading slash', () => {
+    const tree = new PrefixTree(RESOLVED_OPTIONS)
+    const editable = new EditableTreeNode(tree)
+    const parent = editable.insert('parent', 'file.vue')
+    const child = parent.insert('child', 'file.vue')
+
+    parent.path = 'bar'
+    expect(parent.path).toBe('/bar')
+    expect(parent.fullPath).toBe('/bar')
+    expect(child.fullPath).toBe('/bar/child')
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/core/extendRoutes.ts b/src/core/extendRoutes.ts
index 8692d73e1..540e91e6d 100644
--- a/src/core/extendRoutes.ts
+++ b/src/core/extendRoutes.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { RouteMeta } from 'vue-router'
 import { CustomRouteBlock } from './customBlock'
 import { type TreeNode } from './tree'
-import { warn } from './utils'
 
 /**
  * A route node that can be modified by the user. The tree can be iterated to be traversed.
@@ -142,11 +141,13 @@ export class EditableTreeNode {
    * Override the path of the route. You must ensure `params` match with the existing path.
    */
   set path(path: string) {
-    if (!path.startsWith('/')) {
-      warn(
-        `Only absolute paths are supported. Make sure that "${path}" starts with a slash "/".`
-      )
-      return
+    // automatically prefix the path with `/` if the route is at the root of the tree
+    // that matches the behavior of node.insert('path', 'file.vue') that also adds it
+    if (
+      (!this.node.parent || this.node.parent.isRoot()) &&
+      !path.startsWith('/')
+    ) {
+      path = '/' + path
     }
     this.node.value.addEditOverride({ path })
   }
diff --git a/src/core/tree.spec.ts b/src/core/tree.spec.ts
index 9b49a0d2d..045978cdc 100644
--- a/src/core/tree.spec.ts
+++ b/src/core/tree.spec.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
     expect(child).toBeDefined()
     expect(child.value).toMatchObject({
       rawSegment: 'foo',
-      path: '/foo',
+      fullPath: '/foo',
       _type: TreeNodeType.static,
     })
     expect(child.children.size).toBe(0)
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
     expect(child.value).toMatchObject({
       rawSegment: '[id]',
       params: [{ paramName: 'id' }],
-      path: '/:id',
+      fullPath: '/:id',
       _type: TreeNodeType.param,
     })
     expect(child.children.size).toBe(0)
@@ -50,14 +50,14 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
     expect(tree.children.get('[id]_a')!.value).toMatchObject({
       rawSegment: '[id]_a',
       params: [{ paramName: 'id' }],
-      path: '/:id()_a',
+      fullPath: '/:id()_a',
       _type: TreeNodeType.param,
     })
 
     expect(tree.children.get('[a]e[b]f')!.value).toMatchObject({
       rawSegment: '[a]e[b]f',
       params: [{ paramName: 'a' }, { paramName: 'b' }],
-      path: '/:a()e:b()f',
+      fullPath: '/:a()e:b()f',
       _type: TreeNodeType.param,
     })
   })
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
           modifier: '+',
         },
       ],
-      path: '/:id+',
+      fullPath: '/:id+',
       _type: TreeNodeType.param,
     })
   })
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
           modifier: '*',
         },
       ],
-      path: '/:id*',
+      fullPath: '/:id*',
       _type: TreeNodeType.param,
     })
   })
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
           modifier: '?',
         },
       ],
-      path: '/:id?',
+      fullPath: '/:id?',
       _type: TreeNodeType.param,
     })
   })
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
     expect(index.value).toMatchObject({
       rawSegment: 'index',
       // the root should have a '/' instead of '' for the autocompletion
-      path: '/',
+      fullPath: '/',
     })
     expect(index).toBeDefined()
     const a = tree.children.get('a')!
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
     expect(a.value.components.get('default')).toBeUndefined()
     expect(a.value).toMatchObject({
       rawSegment: 'a',
-      path: '/a',
+      fullPath: '/a',
     })
     expect(Array.from(a.children.keys())).toEqual(['index', 'b'])
     const aIndex = a.children.get('index')!
@@ -308,14 +308,14 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
     expect(Array.from(aIndex.children.keys())).toEqual([])
     expect(aIndex.value).toMatchObject({
       rawSegment: 'index',
-      path: '/a',
+      fullPath: '/a',
     })
 
     tree.insert('a', 'a.vue')
     expect(a.value.components.get('default')).toBe('a.vue')
     expect(a.value).toMatchObject({
       rawSegment: 'a',
-      path: '/a',
+      fullPath: '/a',
     })
   })
 
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
     expect(child.value).toMatchObject({
       rawSegment: '[id]+',
       params: [{ paramName: 'id', modifier: '+' }],
-      path: '/:id+',
+      fullPath: '/:id+',
       pathSegment: ':id+',
       _type: TreeNodeType.param,
     })
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
     expect(child.value).toMatchObject({
       rawSegment: '[id]',
       params: [{ paramName: 'id' }],
-      path: '/:id',
+      fullPath: '/:id',
       pathSegment: ':id',
     })
     expect(child.children.size).toBe(0)
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
       expect(users.value).toMatchObject({
         rawSegment: 'users.new',
         pathSegment: 'users/new',
-        path: '/users/new',
+        fullPath: '/users/new',
         _type: TreeNodeType.static,
       })
     })
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ describe('Tree', () => {
       expect(lesson.value).toMatchObject({
         rawSegment: '1.2.3-lesson',
         pathSegment: '1.2.3-lesson',
-        path: '/1.2.3-lesson',
+        fullPath: '/1.2.3-lesson',
         _type: TreeNodeType.static,
       })
     })
diff --git a/src/core/tree.ts b/src/core/tree.ts
index 501a7c3c3..dc2858abf 100644
--- a/src/core/tree.ts
+++ b/src/core/tree.ts
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ export class TreeNode {
    * Returns the route path of the node including parent paths.
    */
   get fullPath() {
-    return this.value.overrides.path ?? this.value.path
+    return this.value.fullPath
   }
 
   /**
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ export class TreeNode {
    */
   isRoot() {
     return (
-      !this.parent && this.value.path === '/' && !this.value.components.size
+      !this.parent && this.value.fullPath === '/' && !this.value.components.size
     )
   }
 
diff --git a/src/core/treeNodeValue.ts b/src/core/treeNodeValue.ts
index 2812537c3..668d3cb87 100644
--- a/src/core/treeNodeValue.ts
+++ b/src/core/treeNodeValue.ts
@@ -68,15 +68,24 @@ class _TreeNodeValueBase {
   }
 
   /**
-   * fullPath of the node based on parent nodes
+   * Path of the node. Can be absolute or not. If it has been overridden, it
+   * will return the overridden path.
    */
   get path(): string {
-    const parentPath = this.parent?.path
-    // both the root record and the index record have a path of /
-    const pathSegment = this.overrides.path ?? this.pathSegment
-    return (!parentPath || parentPath === '/') && pathSegment === ''
-      ? '/'
-      : joinPath(parentPath || '', pathSegment)
+    return this.overrides.path ?? this.pathSegment
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Full path of the node including parent nodes.
+   */
+  get fullPath(): string {
+    const pathSegment = this.path
+    // if the path is absolute, we don't need to join it with the parent
+    if (pathSegment.startsWith('/')) {
+      return pathSegment
+    }
+
+    return joinPath(this.parent?.fullPath ?? '', pathSegment)
   }
 
   toString(): string {
diff --git a/src/core/utils.spec.ts b/src/core/utils.spec.ts
index e3c30d5cd..8dead0747 100644
--- a/src/core/utils.spec.ts
+++ b/src/core/utils.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
-import { trimExtension } from './utils'
+import { joinPath, trimExtension } from './utils'
 
 describe('utils', () => {
   describe('trimExtension', () => {
@@ -15,4 +15,44 @@ describe('utils', () => {
       expect(trimExtension('foo.page.vue', ['.vue'])).toBe('foo.page')
     })
   })
+
+  describe('joinPath', () => {
+    it('joins paths', () => {
+      expect(joinPath('/foo', 'bar')).toBe('/foo/bar')
+      expect(joinPath('/foo', 'bar', 'baz')).toBe('/foo/bar/baz')
+      expect(joinPath('/foo', 'bar', 'baz', 'qux')).toBe('/foo/bar/baz/qux')
+      expect(joinPath('/foo', 'bar', 'baz', 'qux', 'quux')).toBe(
+        '/foo/bar/baz/qux/quux'
+      )
+    })
+
+    it('adds a leading slash if missing', () => {
+      expect(joinPath('foo')).toBe('/foo')
+      expect(joinPath('foo', '')).toBe('/foo')
+      expect(joinPath('foo', 'bar')).toBe('/foo/bar')
+      expect(joinPath('foo', 'bar', 'baz')).toBe('/foo/bar/baz')
+    })
+
+    it('works with empty paths', () => {
+      expect(joinPath('', '', '', '')).toBe('/')
+      expect(joinPath('', '/', '', '')).toBe('/')
+      expect(joinPath('', '/', '', '/')).toBe('/')
+      expect(joinPath('', '/', '/', '/')).toBe('/')
+      expect(joinPath('/', '', '', '')).toBe('/')
+    })
+
+    it('collapses slashes', () => {
+      expect(joinPath('/foo/', 'bar')).toBe('/foo/bar')
+      expect(joinPath('/foo', 'bar')).toBe('/foo/bar')
+      expect(joinPath('/foo', 'bar/', 'foo')).toBe('/foo/bar/foo')
+      expect(joinPath('/foo', 'bar', 'foo')).toBe('/foo/bar/foo')
+    })
+
+    it('keeps trailing slashes', () => {
+      expect(joinPath('/foo', 'bar/')).toBe('/foo/bar/')
+      expect(joinPath('/foo/', 'bar/')).toBe('/foo/bar/')
+      expect(joinPath('/foo/', 'bar', 'baz/')).toBe('/foo/bar/baz/')
+      expect(joinPath('/foo/', 'bar/', 'baz/')).toBe('/foo/bar/baz/')
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/core/utils.ts b/src/core/utils.ts
index 171ff7d2b..63f269b49 100644
--- a/src/core/utils.ts
+++ b/src/core/utils.ts
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ export function joinPath(...paths: string[]): string {
       // check path to avoid adding a trailing slash when joining an empty string
       (path && '/' + path.replace(LEADING_SLASH_RE, ''))
   }
-  return result
+  return result || '/'
 }
 
 function paramToName({ paramName, modifier, isSplat }: TreeRouteParam) {