diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -4734,7 +4734,7 @@ def status(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
     else:
         node1, node2 = scmutil.revpair(repo, revs)
 
-    if pats:
+    if pats or ui.configbool('commands', 'status.relative'):
         cwd = repo.getcwd()
     else:
         cwd = ''
diff --git a/mercurial/help/config.txt b/mercurial/help/config.txt
--- a/mercurial/help/config.txt
+++ b/mercurial/help/config.txt
@@ -417,6 +417,10 @@ effect and style see :hg:`help color`.
 ``commands``
 ----------
 
+``status.relative``
+    Make paths in ``hg status`` output relative to the current directory.
+    (default: False)
+
 ``update.requiredest``
     Require that the user pass a destination when running ``hg update``.
     For example, ``hg update .::`` will be allowed, but a plain ``hg update``
diff --git a/tests/test-status.t b/tests/test-status.t
--- a/tests/test-status.t
+++ b/tests/test-status.t
@@ -107,6 +107,27 @@ combining patterns with root and pattern
   ? a/in_a
   ? b/in_b
 
+relative paths can be requested
+
+  $ cat >> $HGRCPATH <<EOF
+  > [commands]
+  > status.relative = True
+  > EOF
+  $ hg status --cwd a
+  ? 1/in_a_1
+  ? in_a
+  ? ../b/1/in_b_1
+  ? ../b/2/in_b_2
+  ? ../b/in_b
+  ? ../in_root
+  $ HGPLAIN=1 hg status --cwd a
+  ? a/1/in_a_1
+  ? a/in_a
+  ? b/1/in_b_1
+  ? b/2/in_b_2
+  ? b/in_b
+  ? in_root
+
   $ cd ..
 
   $ hg init repo2