diff --git a/lib/std/Build/Module.zig b/lib/std/Build/Module.zig
index b481f21916..c6d908158c 100644
--- a/lib/std/Build/Module.zig
+++ b/lib/std/Build/Module.zig
@@ -79,9 +79,9 @@ pub const SystemLib = struct {
 };
 
 pub const CSourceFiles = struct {
-    dependency: ?*std.Build.Dependency,
-    /// If `dependency` is not null relative to it,
-    /// else relative to the build root.
+    root: LazyPath,
+    /// `files` is relative to `root`, which is
+    /// the build root by default
     files: []const []const u8,
     flags: []const []const u8,
 };
@@ -453,9 +453,9 @@ pub fn linkFramework(m: *Module, name: []const u8, options: LinkFrameworkOptions
 }
 
 pub const AddCSourceFilesOptions = struct {
-    /// When provided, `files` are relative to `dependency` rather than the
+    /// When provided, `files` are relative to `root` rather than the
     /// package that owns the `Compile` step.
-    dependency: ?*std.Build.Dependency = null,
+    root: LazyPath = .{ .path = "" },
     files: []const []const u8,
     flags: []const []const u8 = &.{},
 };
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ pub fn addCSourceFiles(m: *Module, options: AddCSourceFilesOptions) void {
     const allocator = b.allocator;
     const c_source_files = allocator.create(CSourceFiles) catch @panic("OOM");
     c_source_files.* = .{
-        .dependency = options.dependency,
+        .root = options.root,
         .files = b.dupeStrings(options.files),
         .flags = b.dupeStrings(options.flags),
     };
diff --git a/lib/std/Build/Step/Compile.zig b/lib/std/Build/Step/Compile.zig
index be0fbf7faa..51b5b2e52a 100644
--- a/lib/std/Build/Step/Compile.zig
+++ b/lib/std/Build/Step/Compile.zig
@@ -1197,15 +1197,11 @@ fn make(step: *Step, prog_node: *std.Progress.Node) !void {
                             prev_has_cflags = true;
                         }
 
-                        if (c_source_files.dependency) |dep| {
-                            for (c_source_files.files) |file| {
-                                try zig_args.append(dep.builder.pathFromRoot(file));
-                            }
-                        } else {
-                            for (c_source_files.files) |file| {
-                                try zig_args.append(b.pathFromRoot(file));
-                            }
+                        const root_path = c_source_files.root.getPath2(module.owner, step);
+                        for (c_source_files.files) |file| {
+                            try zig_args.append(b.pathJoin(&.{ root_path, file }));
                         }
+
                         total_linker_objects += c_source_files.files.len;
                     },