diff --git a/erlang.mk b/erlang.mk
index 49c4519b82..0f57cdc265 100644
--- a/erlang.mk
+++ b/erlang.mk
@@ -3695,11 +3695,17 @@ define hex_tarball_create.erl
 		$(if $(DEPS),dummy => dummy)
 	},
 	Requirements = maps:remove(dummy, Requirements0),
+	StripAllRelative = fun StripAll(S) ->
+		case string:prefix(S, "../") of
+			nomatch -> S;
+			S1 -> StripAll(S1)
+		end
+	end,
 	Metadata0 = #{
 		app => <<"$(strip $(PROJECT))">>,
 		build_tools => [<<"make">>, <<"rebar3">>],
 		description => <<"$(strip $(PROJECT_DESCRIPTION))">>,
-		files => [unicode:characters_to_binary(F) || F <- Files0],
+		files => [unicode:characters_to_binary(StripAllRelative(F)) || F <- Files0],
 		name => <<"$(strip $(PROJECT))">>,
 		requirements => Requirements,
 		version => <<"$(strip $(PROJECT_VERSION))">>
@@ -3707,9 +3713,9 @@ define hex_tarball_create.erl
 	Metadata = Metadata0$(HEX_TARBALL_EXTRA_METADATA),
 	Files = [case file:read_file(F) of
 		{ok, Bin} ->
-			{F, Bin};
+			{StripAllRelative(F), Bin};
 		{error, Reason} ->
-			io:format("Error trying to open file ~0p: ~0p~n", [F, Reason]),
+			io:format(standard_error, "Error trying to open file ~0p: ~0p~n", [F, Reason]),
 			halt(82)
 	end || F <- Files0],
 	case hex_tarball:create(Metadata, Files) of
@@ -3717,7 +3723,7 @@ define hex_tarball_create.erl
 			ok = file:write_file("$(strip $(HEX_TARBALL_OUTPUT_FILE))", Tarball),
 			halt(0);
 		{error, Reason} ->
-			io:format("Error ~0p~n", [Reason]),
+			io:format(standard_error, "Error ~0p~n", [Reason]),
 			halt(83)
 	end
 endef