diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc-dir.el b/lisp/vc/vc-dir.el
index 033cb27e33..e5c5e16a17 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc-dir.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc-dir.el
@@ -879,7 +879,9 @@ vc-dir-ignore
 	   (vc-ignore (vc-dir-fileinfo->name filearg))
 	   t))
        vc-ewoc)
-    (vc-ignore (vc-dir-current-file))))
+    (vc-ignore
+     (file-relative-name (vc-dir-current-file))
+     default-directory)))
 
 (defun vc-dir-current-file ()
   (let ((node (ewoc-locate vc-ewoc)))
diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc.el b/lisp/vc/vc.el
index ec252b74d4..72bd4d3910 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc.el
@@ -1406,16 +1406,21 @@ vc-ignore
 prefix argument is given, in which case prompt for a file FILE to
 remove from the list of ignored files."
   (interactive
-   (list
-    (if (not current-prefix-arg)
-        (read-file-name "File to ignore: ")
-      (completing-read
-       "File to remove: "
-       (vc-call-backend
-        (or (vc-responsible-backend default-directory)
-            (error "Unknown backend"))
-        'ignore-completion-table default-directory)))
-    nil current-prefix-arg))
+   (let* ((backend (vc-responsible-backend default-directory))
+          (rel-dir
+           (condition-case nil
+               (file-name-directory
+                (vc-call-backend backend 'find-ignore-file
+                                 default-directory))
+             (vc-not-supported
+              default-directory)))
+          (file (read-file-name "File to ignore: ")))
+     (when (and (file-name-absolute-p file)
+                (file-in-directory-p file rel-dir))
+       (setq file (file-relative-name file rel-dir)))
+     (list file
+           rel-dir
+           current-prefix-arg)))
   (let* ((directory (or directory default-directory))
 	 (backend (or (vc-responsible-backend default-directory)
                       (error "Unknown backend"))))
@@ -1423,23 +1428,18 @@ vc-ignore
 
 (defun vc-default-ignore (backend file &optional directory remove)
   "Ignore FILE under the VCS of DIRECTORY (default is `default-directory').
-FILE is a wildcard specification, either relative to
-DIRECTORY or absolute.
+FILE is a wildcard specification relative to DIRECTORY.
 When called from Lisp code, if DIRECTORY is non-nil, the
 repository to use will be deduced by DIRECTORY; if REMOVE is
 non-nil, remove FILE from ignored files.
 Argument BACKEND is the backend you are using."
   (let ((ignore
-	 (vc-call-backend backend 'find-ignore-file (or directory default-directory)))
-	file-path root-dir pattern)
-    (setq file-path (expand-file-name file directory))
-    (setq root-dir (file-name-directory ignore))
-    (when (not (string= (substring file-path 0 (length root-dir)) root-dir))
-      (error "Ignore spec %s is not below project root %s" file-path root-dir))
-    (setq pattern (substring file-path (length root-dir)))
+         (vc-call-backend backend
+                          'find-ignore-file
+                          (or directory default-directory))))
     (if remove
-	(vc--remove-regexp (concat "^" (regexp-quote pattern ) "\\(\n\\|$\\)") ignore)
-      (vc--add-line pattern ignore))))
+        (vc--remove-regexp (concat "^" (regexp-quote file) "\\(\n\\|$\\)") ignore)
+      (vc--add-line file ignore))))
 
 (defun vc-default-ignore-completion-table (backend file)
   "Return the list of ignored files under BACKEND."