diff --git a/misc/path_utils.c b/misc/path_utils.c
index 766626e82d..af56162aa6 100644
--- a/misc/path_utils.c
+++ b/misc/path_utils.c
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ char *mp_normalize_path(void *talloc_ctx, const char *path)
     if (!path)
         return NULL;
 
-    if (mp_is_url(bstr0(path)))
+    if (mp_is_url(bstr0(path)) || !strcmp(path, "-"))
         return talloc_strdup(talloc_ctx, path);
 
     void *tmp = talloc_new(NULL);