diff -r e6ec0737b706 -r 02186c6871ac mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py	Tue Jan 29 15:37:14 2019 -0800
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py	Tue Jan 29 15:37:35 2019 -0800
@@ -5414,7 +5414,11 @@
         repo = scmutil.unhidehashlikerevs(repo, revs, 'nowarn')
         ctx1, ctx2 = scmutil.revpair(repo, revs)
 
-    relative = pats or ui.configbool('commands', 'status.relative')
+    relative = None
+    if pats:
+        relative = True
+    elif ui.hasconfig('commands', 'status.relative'):
+        relative = ui.configbool('commands', 'status.relative')
     uipathfn = scmutil.getuipathfn(repo, relative)
 
     if opts.get('print0'):