diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/synchronize.yml b/changelogs/fragments/synchronize.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d49e6f1e38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/synchronize.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+---
+bugfixes:
+  - synchronize - use _find_needle to find the file in path (https://github.com/ansible-collections/ansible.posix/issues/381).
diff --git a/plugins/action/synchronize.py b/plugins/action/synchronize.py
index 34c9015952..61fe3fd593 100644
--- a/plugins/action/synchronize.py
+++ b/plugins/action/synchronize.py
@@ -48,10 +48,7 @@ def _get_absolute_path(self, path):
         if ':' in path or path.startswith('/'):
             return path
 
-        if self._task._role is not None:
-            path = self._loader.path_dwim_relative(self._task._role._role_path, 'files', path)
-        else:
-            path = self._loader.path_dwim_relative(self._loader.get_basedir(), 'files', path)
+        path = self._find_needle('files', path)
 
         if original_path and original_path[-1] == '/' and path[-1] != '/':
             # make sure the dwim'd path ends in a trailing "/"