diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 7e74497..131eb5f 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ Unreleased
 - Add ``stacklevel`` param to ``given``, ``when``, ``then``, ``step`` decorators. This allows for programmatic step generation `#548 <https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-bdd/pull/548>`_
 - Hide pytest-bdd internal method in user tracebacks `#557 <https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-bdd/pull/557>`_.
 - Make the package PEP 561-compatible `#559 <https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-bdd/issues/559>`_ `#563 <https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-bdd/pull/563>`_.
+- Configuration option ``bdd_features_base_dir`` is interpreted as relative to the `pytest root directory <https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/reference/customize.html#rootdir>`_ (previously it was relative to the current working directory). `#573 <https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-bdd/pull/573>`_
 
 
 6.0.1
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index f8a450b..e0af67e 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ then
 Feature file paths
 ------------------
 
-By default, pytest-bdd will use current module's path as base path for finding feature files, but this behaviour can be changed in the pytest configuration file (i.e. `pytest.ini`, `tox.ini` or `setup.cfg`) by declaring the new base path in the `bdd_features_base_dir` key. The path is interpreted as relative to the working directory when starting pytest.
+By default, pytest-bdd will use current module's path as base path for finding feature files, but this behaviour can be changed in the pytest configuration file (i.e. `pytest.ini`, `tox.ini` or `setup.cfg`) by declaring the new base path in the `bdd_features_base_dir` key. The path is interpreted as relative to the `pytest root directory <https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/reference/customize.html#rootdir>`__.
 You can also override features base path on a per-scenario basis, in order to override the path for specific tests.
 
 pytest.ini:
diff --git a/src/pytest_bdd/scenario.py b/src/pytest_bdd/scenario.py
index 54cce5a..7dad2f3 100644
--- a/src/pytest_bdd/scenario.py
+++ b/src/pytest_bdd/scenario.py
@@ -287,8 +287,11 @@ def scenario(
 
 
 def get_features_base_dir(caller_module_path: str) -> str:
-    default_base_dir = os.path.dirname(caller_module_path)
-    return get_from_ini("bdd_features_base_dir", default_base_dir)
+    d = get_from_ini("bdd_features_base_dir", None)
+    if d is None:
+        return os.path.dirname(caller_module_path)
+    rootdir = CONFIG_STACK[-1].rootpath
+    return os.path.join(rootdir, d)
 
 
 def get_from_ini(key: str, default: str) -> str:
diff --git a/tests/feature/test_feature_base_dir.py b/tests/feature/test_feature_base_dir.py
index a433b51..5882b22 100644
--- a/tests/feature/test_feature_base_dir.py
+++ b/tests/feature/test_feature_base_dir.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 """Test feature base dir."""
+import os
+
 import pytest
 
 NOT_EXISTING_FEATURE_PATHS = [".", "/does/not/exist/"]
@@ -21,6 +23,19 @@ def test_feature_path_ok(pytester):
     result.assert_outcomes(passed=2)
 
 
+def test_feature_path_ok_running_outside_rootdir(pytester):
+    base_dir = "features"
+    prepare_testdir(pytester, base_dir)
+
+    old_dir = os.getcwd()
+    os.chdir("/")
+    try:
+        result = pytester.runpytest(pytester.path, "-k", "test_ok_by_ini")
+        result.assert_outcomes(passed=2)
+    finally:
+        os.chdir(old_dir)
+
+
 def test_feature_path_by_param_not_found(pytester):
     """As param takes precedence even if ini config is correct it should fail
     if passed param is incorrect"""