diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp.go
index a3b62fdeebd..93366db0aea 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp.go
@@ -315,8 +315,8 @@ func stripPathShortcuts(p string) string {
 		trimmed = strings.TrimPrefix(newPath, "../")
 	}
 
-	// trim leftover ".."
-	if newPath == ".." {
+	// trim leftover {".", ".."}
+	if newPath == "." || newPath == ".." {
 		newPath = ""
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp_test.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp_test.go
index 1764f8a55b3..b8a14dfc540 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp_test.go
@@ -175,6 +175,11 @@ func TestStripPathShortcuts(t *testing.T) {
 			input:    "...foo",
 			expected: "...foo",
 		},
+		{
+			name:     "test root directory",
+			input:    "/",
+			expected: "",
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range tests {