diff --git a/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp b/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
--- a/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@
         }
         return EXIT_SUCCESS;
     }
-    if (!fs::is_directory(GetDataDir(false))) {
+    if (!CheckDataDirOption()) {
         tfm::format(std::cerr,
                     "Error: Specified data directory \"%s\" does not exist.\n",
                     gArgs.GetArg("-datadir", "").c_str());
diff --git a/src/bitcoin-wallet.cpp b/src/bitcoin-wallet.cpp
--- a/src/bitcoin-wallet.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoin-wallet.cpp
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
     LogInstance().m_print_to_console =
         gArgs.GetBoolArg("-printtoconsole", gArgs.GetBoolArg("-debug", false));
 
-    if (!fs::is_directory(GetDataDir(false))) {
+    if (!CheckDataDirOption()) {
         tfm::format(std::cerr,
                     "Error: Specified data directory \"%s\" does not exist.\n",
                     gArgs.GetArg("-datadir", "").c_str());
diff --git a/src/bitcoind.cpp b/src/bitcoind.cpp
--- a/src/bitcoind.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoind.cpp
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
     }
 
     try {
-        if (!fs::is_directory(GetDataDir(false))) {
+        if (!CheckDataDirOption()) {
             return InitError(
                 strprintf("Specified data directory \"%s\" does not exist.\n",
                           gArgs.GetArg("-datadir", "")));
diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
--- a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
@@ -623,10 +623,10 @@
         return EXIT_SUCCESS;
     }
 
-    /// 6. Determine availability of data and blocks directory and parse
+    /// 6. Determine availability of data directory and parse
     /// bitcoin.conf
     /// - Do not call GetDataDir(true) before this step finishes.
-    if (!fs::is_directory(GetDataDir(false))) {
+    if (!CheckDataDirOption()) {
         node->initError(
             strprintf("Specified data directory \"%s\" does not exist.\n",
                       gArgs.GetArg("-datadir", "")));
diff --git a/src/util/system.h b/src/util/system.h
--- a/src/util/system.h
+++ b/src/util/system.h
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@
 // The blocks directory is always net specific.
 const fs::path &GetBlocksDir();
 const fs::path &GetDataDir(bool fNetSpecific = true);
+// Return true if -datadir option points to a valid directory or is not
+// specified.
+bool CheckDataDirOption();
 /** Tests only */
 void ClearDatadirCache();
 fs::path GetConfigFile(const std::string &confPath);
diff --git a/src/util/system.cpp b/src/util/system.cpp
--- a/src/util/system.cpp
+++ b/src/util/system.cpp
@@ -850,8 +850,9 @@
         return path;
     }
 
-    if (gArgs.IsArgSet("-datadir")) {
-        path = fs::system_complete(gArgs.GetArg("-datadir", ""));
+    std::string datadir = gArgs.GetArg("-datadir", "");
+    if (!datadir.empty()) {
+        path = fs::system_complete(datadir);
         if (!fs::is_directory(path)) {
             path = "";
             return path;
@@ -878,6 +879,11 @@
     return path;
 }
 
+bool CheckDataDirOption() {
+    std::string datadir = gArgs.GetArg("-datadir", "");
+    return datadir.empty() || fs::is_directory(fs::system_complete(datadir));
+}
+
 void ClearDatadirCache() {
     LOCK(csPathCached);
 
@@ -1084,7 +1090,7 @@
 
     // If datadir is changed in .conf file:
     ClearDatadirCache();
-    if (!fs::is_directory(GetDataDir(false))) {
+    if (!CheckDataDirOption()) {
         error = strprintf("specified data directory \"%s\" does not exist.",
                           gArgs.GetArg("-datadir", "").c_str());
         return false;
@@ -1358,6 +1364,9 @@
 }
 
 fs::path AbsPathForConfigVal(const fs::path &path, bool net_specific) {
+    if (path.is_absolute()) {
+        return path;
+    }
     return fs::absolute(path, GetDataDir(net_specific));
 }