diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/markdown_render.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/markdown_render.rs
index 80dd689672..54410bdfbc 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/markdown_render.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/markdown_render.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-use crate::diff_render::display_path_for;
 use crate::render::highlight::highlight_code_to_lines;
 use crate::render::line_utils::line_to_static;
 use crate::wrapping::RtOptions;
@@ -147,7 +146,10 @@ fn local_link_display_text(dest_url: &str, cwd: Option<&Path>) -> Option<String>
     let (path, location_suffix) = split_local_link_destination(dest_url)?;
     let display_path = cwd.map_or_else(
         || path.display().to_string(),
-        |cwd| display_path_for(&path, cwd),
+        |cwd| match path.strip_prefix(cwd) {
+            Ok(stripped) => stripped.display().to_string(),
+            Err(_) => path.display().to_string(),
+        },
     );
     Some(format!("{display_path}{location_suffix}"))
 }
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/markdown_render_tests.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/markdown_render_tests.rs
index d34ed47ddf..3e3945b8e5 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/markdown_render_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/markdown_render_tests.rs
@@ -695,6 +695,16 @@ fn file_link_ignores_label_when_rendering_visible_target() {
     assert_eq!(text, expected);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn file_link_outside_cwd_stays_absolute() {
+    let text = render_markdown_text_for_cwd(
+        "[ignored label](/Users/example/other-repo/src/main.rs:12)",
+        Path::new("/Users/example/code/codex"),
+    );
+    let expected = Text::from(Line::from_iter(["/Users/example/other-repo/src/main.rs:12".cyan()]));
+    assert_eq!(text, expected);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn file_link_normalizes_hash_anchor_for_terminal_clickability() {
     let text = render_markdown_text_for_cwd(