diff --git a/pipenv/project.py b/pipenv/project.py
index e81182b06b..3465f3c166 100644
--- a/pipenv/project.py
+++ b/pipenv/project.py
@@ -51,7 +51,15 @@
 def _normalized(p):
     if p is None:
         return None
-    return normalize_drive(str(Path(p).resolve()))
+    loc = Path(p)
+    if loc.is_absolute():
+        return normalize_drive(str(loc))
+    else:
+        try:
+            loc = loc.resolve()
+        except OSError:
+            loc = loc.absolute()
+        return normalize_drive(str(loc))
 
 
 DEFAULT_NEWLINES = u'\n'