diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/project.el b/lisp/progmodes/project.el
index 0082f12666a..d12c5ff8db7 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/project.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/project.el
@@ -1150,7 +1150,8 @@ project--read-file-cpd-relative
          (relname (cl-letf (((symbol-value hist)
                              (mapcan
                               (lambda (s)
-                                (setq s (expand-file-name s))
+                                (unless (file-remote-p s)
+                                  (setq s (expand-file-name s)))
                                 (and (string-prefix-p abs-cpd s)
                                      (not (eq abs-cpd-length (length s)))
                                      (list (substring s abs-cpd-length))))