diff --git a/cpp-linter/src/cli/mod.rs b/cpp-linter/src/cli/mod.rs
index f904de91..ee5d22ce 100644
--- a/cpp-linter/src/cli/mod.rs
+++ b/cpp-linter/src/cli/mod.rs
@@ -500,8 +500,7 @@ pub struct FeedbackOptions {
 
     /// Provide this option with a path to which a summary comment is written.
     ///
-    /// If the given path is relative, then it shall be relative to the given
-    /// [`--repo-root`](#-r-repo-root) path.
+    /// A relative path is relative to the current working directory.
     #[cfg_attr(
         feature = "bin",
         arg(
@@ -517,8 +516,7 @@ pub struct FeedbackOptions {
     /// written in the [SARIF 2.1.0](https://docs.oasis-open.org/sarif/sarif/v2.1.0/sarif-v2.1.0.html)
     /// format.
     ///
-    /// If the given path is relative, then it shall be relative to the given
-    /// [`--repo-root`](#-r-repo-root) path.
+    /// A relative path is relative to the current working directory.
     ///
     /// The SARIF file only includes clang-tidy diagnostics that are also
     /// reported in other forms of feedback. So, source filters like
diff --git a/cpp-linter/src/cli/structs.rs b/cpp-linter/src/cli/structs.rs
index e0f201dc..84d95306 100644
--- a/cpp-linter/src/cli/structs.rs
+++ b/cpp-linter/src/cli/structs.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,14 @@ use crate::clang_tools::clang_tidy::CompilationUnit;
 
 use git_bot_feedback::FileFilter;
 
+/// Resolve a path given on the command line against the current working directory.
+///
+/// The path is kept as given if the working directory cannot be read.
+#[cfg(feature = "bin")]
+fn absolute_or_given(path: &Path) -> PathBuf {
+    std::path::absolute(path).unwrap_or_else(|_| path.to_path_buf())
+}
+
 /// An enum to describe `--lines-changed-only` CLI option's behavior.
 #[derive(PartialEq, Clone, Debug, Default)]
 pub enum LinesChangedOnly {
@@ -361,12 +369,20 @@ impl From<&Cli> for FeedbackInput {
             pr_review: args.feedback_options.pr_review,
             passive_reviews: args.feedback_options.passive_reviews,
             repo_root: args.source_options.repo_root.clone(),
-            summary_output_file: args.feedback_options.summary_output_file.clone(),
-            sarif_file: args.feedback_options.sarif_file.clone(),
+            summary_output_file: args
+                .feedback_options
+                .summary_output_file
+                .as_deref()
+                .map(absolute_or_given),
+            sarif_file: args
+                .feedback_options
+                .sarif_file
+                .as_deref()
+                .map(absolute_or_given),
             gen_patch: args.feedback_options.gen_patch
                 || args.feedback_options.gen_patch_path.is_some(),
             patch_path: match &args.feedback_options.gen_patch_path {
-                Some(path) => std::path::absolute(path).unwrap_or_else(|_| path.to_path_buf()),
+                Some(path) => absolute_or_given(path),
                 None => ClangParams::default_patch_path(&args.source_options.repo_root),
             },
         }
@@ -488,6 +504,30 @@ mod test {
         assert!(ClangParams::from(&cli).gen_patch);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn relative_output_files() {
+        let cli = Cli::parse_from([
+            "cpp-linter",
+            "--repo-root",
+            "sub",
+            "--summary-output-file",
+            "summary.md",
+            "--sarif-file",
+            "out/results.sarif",
+        ]);
+        let feedback_input = FeedbackInput::from(&cli);
+        // a relative path is relative to the working directory, not the repo root
+        let cwd = std::env::current_dir().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            feedback_input.summary_output_file,
+            Some(cwd.join("summary.md"))
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            feedback_input.sarif_file,
+            Some(cwd.join("out/results.sarif"))
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn gen_patch_path_from_env() {
         unsafe {
diff --git a/cpp-linter/src/rest_client.rs b/cpp-linter/src/rest_client.rs
index be0c35aa..a6654c03 100644
--- a/cpp-linter/src/rest_client.rs
+++ b/cpp-linter/src/rest_client.rs
@@ -206,12 +206,7 @@ impl RestClient {
             if feedback_inputs.step_summary {
                 self.client.append_step_summary(&summary)?;
             }
-            if let Some(summary_output_file) = &feedback_inputs.summary_output_file {
-                let output_file = if summary_output_file.is_absolute() {
-                    summary_output_file
-                } else {
-                    &feedback_inputs.repo_root.join(summary_output_file)
-                };
+            if let Some(output_file) = &feedback_inputs.summary_output_file {
                 if let Some(parent) = output_file.parent() {
                     std::fs::create_dir_all(parent).map_err(|e| ClientError::MkDirFailed {
                         file_path: output_file.clone(),
@@ -227,12 +222,7 @@ impl RestClient {
             }
             comment = Some(summary);
         }
-        if let Some(sarif_file) = &feedback_inputs.sarif_file {
-            let output_file = if sarif_file.is_absolute() {
-                sarif_file
-            } else {
-                &feedback_inputs.repo_root.join(sarif_file)
-            };
+        if let Some(output_file) = &feedback_inputs.sarif_file {
             SarifLog::new(
                 files,
                 clang_versions.tidy_version.as_ref(),
diff --git a/cpp-linter/tests/comments.rs b/cpp-linter/tests/comments.rs
index c55fec9d..1b161f3c 100644
--- a/cpp-linter/tests/comments.rs
+++ b/cpp-linter/tests/comments.rs
@@ -252,18 +252,20 @@ async fn setup(lib_root: &Path, tmp_dir: &TempDir, test_params: &TestParams) {
         );
     }
 
-    let summary_out_file_path = if test_params.relative_out_files {
-        std::path::PathBuf::from(SUMMARY_OUT_FILE_NAME)
+    // A relative output path is resolved against the working directory (not the repo root).
+    // `_out_dir` keeps the directory alive until the test ends.
+    let (_out_dir, out_dir_path) = if test_params.relative_out_files {
+        let out_dir = tempfile::tempdir_in("./").unwrap();
+        let cwd = env::current_dir().unwrap();
+        let relative = out_dir.path().strip_prefix(&cwd).unwrap().to_path_buf();
+        (out_dir, relative)
     } else {
-        tmp_dir.path().join(SUMMARY_OUT_FILE_NAME)
-    };
-
-    // a relative path is resolved against the repo root
-    let sarif_file_path = if test_params.relative_out_files {
-        std::path::PathBuf::from(SARIF_FILE_NAME)
-    } else {
-        tmp_dir.path().join(SARIF_FILE_NAME)
+        let out_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let path = out_dir.path().to_path_buf();
+        (out_dir, path)
     };
+    let summary_out_file_path = out_dir_path.join(SUMMARY_OUT_FILE_NAME);
+    let sarif_file_path = out_dir_path.join(SARIF_FILE_NAME);
 
     let mut args = vec![
         "cpp-linter".to_string(),
@@ -334,12 +336,7 @@ async fn setup(lib_root: &Path, tmp_dir: &TempDir, test_params: &TestParams) {
         assert!(apply_patch_status.success());
     }
 
-    let summary_out_file_abs_path = if test_params.relative_out_files {
-        tmp_dir.path().join(SUMMARY_OUT_FILE_NAME)
-    } else {
-        summary_out_file_path.clone()
-    };
-    let summary_content = std::fs::read_to_string(&summary_out_file_abs_path).unwrap();
+    let summary_content = std::fs::read_to_string(&summary_out_file_path).unwrap();
     assert!(summary_content.contains(COMMENT_MARKER));
     assert!(summary_content.contains(USER_OUTREACH));
 
@@ -352,8 +349,7 @@ async fn setup(lib_root: &Path, tmp_dir: &TempDir, test_params: &TestParams) {
         .parse::<usize>()
         .unwrap();
     let sarif: serde_json::Value =
-        serde_json::from_str(&fs::read_to_string(tmp_dir.path().join(SARIF_FILE_NAME)).unwrap())
-            .unwrap();
+        serde_json::from_str(&fs::read_to_string(&sarif_file_path).unwrap()).unwrap();
     assert_eq!(sarif["version"], SARIF_VERSION);
     let schema: serde_json::Value =
         serde_json::from_str(include_str!("sarif-schema-2.1.0.json")).unwrap();