diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cd413f6..ce96baf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -84,6 +84,17 @@ $factory->open('users.db')->then(function (DatabaseInterface $db) {
 });
 ```
 
+The `$filename` parameter is the path to the SQLite database file or
+`:memory:` to create a temporary in-memory database. As of PHP 7.0.10, an
+empty string can be given to create a private, temporary on-disk database.
+Relative paths will be resolved relative to the current working directory,
+so it's usually recommended to pass absolute paths instead to avoid any
+ambiguity.
+
+```php
+$promise = $factory->open(__DIR__ . '/users.db');
+```
+
 The optional `$flags` parameter is used to determine how to open the
 SQLite database. By default, open uses `SQLITE3_OPEN_READWRITE | SQLITE3_OPEN_CREATE`.
 
@@ -145,6 +156,17 @@ Depending on your particular use case, you may prefer this method or the
 underlying `open()` method which resolves with a promise. For many
 simple use cases it may be easier to create a lazy connection.
 
+The `$filename` parameter is the path to the SQLite database file or
+`:memory:` to create a temporary in-memory database. As of PHP 7.0.10, an
+empty string can be given to create a private, temporary on-disk database.
+Relative paths will be resolved relative to the current working directory,
+so it's usually recommended to pass absolute paths instead to avoid any
+ambiguity.
+
+```php
+$$db = $factory->openLazy(__DIR__ . '/users.db');
+```
+
 The optional `$flags` parameter is used to determine how to open the
 SQLite database. By default, open uses `SQLITE3_OPEN_READWRITE | SQLITE3_OPEN_CREATE`.
 
diff --git a/src/Factory.php b/src/Factory.php
index ad5c7f8..c8212d5 100644
--- a/src/Factory.php
+++ b/src/Factory.php
@@ -67,6 +67,17 @@ public function __construct(LoopInterface $loop)
      * });
      * ```
      *
+     * The `$filename` parameter is the path to the SQLite database file or
+     * `:memory:` to create a temporary in-memory database. As of PHP 7.0.10, an
+     * empty string can be given to create a private, temporary on-disk database.
+     * Relative paths will be resolved relative to the current working directory,
+     * so it's usually recommended to pass absolute paths instead to avoid any
+     * ambiguity.
+     *
+     * ```php
+     * $promise = $factory->open(__DIR__ . '/users.db');
+     * ```
+     *
      * The optional `$flags` parameter is used to determine how to open the
      * SQLite database. By default, open uses `SQLITE3_OPEN_READWRITE | SQLITE3_OPEN_CREATE`.
      *
@@ -85,6 +96,7 @@ public function __construct(LoopInterface $loop)
      */
     public function open($filename, $flags = null)
     {
+        $filename = $this->resolve($filename);
         return $this->useSocket ? $this->openSocketIo($filename, $flags) : $this->openProcessIo($filename, $flags);
     }
 
@@ -135,6 +147,17 @@ public function open($filename, $flags = null)
      * underlying `open()` method which resolves with a promise. For many
      * simple use cases it may be easier to create a lazy connection.
      *
+     * The `$filename` parameter is the path to the SQLite database file or
+     * `:memory:` to create a temporary in-memory database. As of PHP 7.0.10, an
+     * empty string can be given to create a private, temporary on-disk database.
+     * Relative paths will be resolved relative to the current working directory,
+     * so it's usually recommended to pass absolute paths instead to avoid any
+     * ambiguity.
+     *
+     * ```php
+     * $db = $factory->openLazy(__DIR__ . '/users.db');
+     * ```
+     *
      * The optional `$flags` parameter is used to determine how to open the
      * SQLite database. By default, open uses `SQLITE3_OPEN_READWRITE | SQLITE3_OPEN_CREATE`.
      *
@@ -162,7 +185,7 @@ public function open($filename, $flags = null)
      */
     public function openLazy($filename, $flags = null, array $options = [])
     {
-        return new LazyDatabase($filename, $flags, $options, $this, $this->loop);
+        return new LazyDatabase($this->resolve($filename), $flags, $options, $this, $this->loop);
     }
 
     private function openProcessIo($filename, $flags = null)
@@ -318,4 +341,16 @@ private function which($bin)
         }
         return null;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * @param string $filename
+     * @return string
+     */
+    private function resolve($filename)
+    {
+        if ($filename !== '' && $filename !== ':memory:' && !\preg_match('/^\/|\w+\:\\\\/', $filename)) {
+            $filename = \getcwd() . \DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $filename;
+        }
+        return $filename;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/FactoryTest.php b/tests/FactoryTest.php
index 66fa5e2..7d0cf91 100644
--- a/tests/FactoryTest.php
+++ b/tests/FactoryTest.php
@@ -28,4 +28,69 @@ public function testLoadLazyWithIdleOptionsReturnsDatabaseWithIdleTimeApplied()
 
         $this->assertEquals(10.0, $value);
     }
+
+    public function testLoadLazyWithAbsolutePathWillBeUsedAsIs()
+    {
+        $loop = $this->getMockBuilder('React\EventLoop\LoopInterface')->getMock();
+        $factory = new Factory($loop);
+
+        $db = $factory->openLazy(__DIR__ . '/users.db');
+
+        $ref = new ReflectionProperty($db, 'filename');
+        $ref->setAccessible(true);
+        $value = $ref->getValue($db);
+
+        $this->assertEquals(__DIR__ . '/users.db', $value);
+    }
+
+    public function testLoadLazyWithMemoryPathWillBeUsedAsIs()
+    {
+        $loop = $this->getMockBuilder('React\EventLoop\LoopInterface')->getMock();
+        $factory = new Factory($loop);
+
+        $db = $factory->openLazy(':memory:');
+
+        $ref = new ReflectionProperty($db, 'filename');
+        $ref->setAccessible(true);
+        $value = $ref->getValue($db);
+
+        $this->assertEquals(':memory:', $value);
+    }
+
+    public function testLoadLazyWithEmptyPathWillBeUsedAsIs()
+    {
+        $loop = $this->getMockBuilder('React\EventLoop\LoopInterface')->getMock();
+        $factory = new Factory($loop);
+
+        $db = $factory->openLazy('');
+
+        $ref = new ReflectionProperty($db, 'filename');
+        $ref->setAccessible(true);
+        $value = $ref->getValue($db);
+
+        $this->assertEquals('', $value);
+    }
+
+    public function testLoadLazyWithRelativePathWillBeResolvedWhenConstructingAndWillNotBeAffectedByChangingDirectory()
+    {
+        $original = getcwd();
+        if ($original === false) {
+            $this->markTestSkipped('Unable to detect current working directory');
+        }
+
+        $loop = $this->getMockBuilder('React\EventLoop\LoopInterface')->getMock();
+        $factory = new Factory($loop);
+
+        $db = $factory->openLazy('users.db');
+
+        chdir('../');
+
+        $ref = new ReflectionProperty($db, 'filename');
+        $ref->setAccessible(true);
+        $value = $ref->getValue($db);
+
+        chdir($original);
+
+        $this->assertEquals($original . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'users.db', $value);
+    }
 }