diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp.go
index 8b4817d674..edca8614bd 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp.go
@@ -310,8 +310,8 @@ 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 f1e7f38f1a..937ff522d3 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/cp/cp_test.go
@@ -173,6 +173,11 @@ func TestStripPathShortcuts(t *testing.T) {
 			input:    "...foo",
 			expected: "...foo",
 		},
+		{
+			name:     "test root directory",
+			input:    "/",
+			expected: "",
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range tests {