diff --git a/omegaconf/omegaconf.py b/omegaconf/omegaconf.py
index 1f6f76713..662fb6122 100644
--- a/omegaconf/omegaconf.py
+++ b/omegaconf/omegaconf.py
@@ -676,9 +676,29 @@ def select(
         default: Any = _DEFAULT_MARKER_,
         throw_on_resolution_failure: bool = True,
         throw_on_missing: bool = False,
+        absolute_key: bool = False,
     ) -> Any:
+        """
+        :param cfg: Config node to select from
+        :param key: Key to select
+        :param default: Default value to return if key is not found
+        :param throw_on_resolution_failure: Raise an exception if an interpolation
+               resolution error occurs, otherwise return None
+        :param throw_on_missing: Raise an exception if an attempt to select a missing key (with the value '???')
+               is made, otherwise return None
+        :param absolute_key: True to treat non-relative keys as relative to the config root
+                             False (default) to treat non-relative keys as relative to cfg
+        :return: selected value or None if not found.
+        """
         try:
             try:
+                # for non relative keys, the interpretation can be:
+                # 1. relative to cfg
+                # 2. relative to the config root
+                # This is controlled by the absolute_key flag. By default, such keys are relative to cfg.
+                if not absolute_key and not key.startswith("."):
+                    key = f".{key}"
+
                 cfg, key = cfg._resolve_key_and_root(key)
                 _root, _last_key, value = cfg._select_impl(
                     key,
diff --git a/tests/test_select.py b/tests/test_select.py
index 11c093156..f3268e8ab 100644
--- a/tests/test_select.py
+++ b/tests/test_select.py
@@ -193,16 +193,6 @@ def test_select_deprecated(self, struct: Optional[bool]) -> None:
         ):
             cfg.select("foo")
 
-    def test_select_relative_from_nested_node(self, struct: Optional[bool]) -> None:
-        cfg = OmegaConf.create(
-            {"a": {"b": {"c": 10}}, "z": 10},
-        )
-        OmegaConf.set_struct(cfg, struct)
-        assert OmegaConf.select(cfg.a, ".") == {"b": {"c": 10}}
-        assert OmegaConf.select(cfg.a, "..") == {"a": {"b": {"c": 10}}, "z": 10}
-        assert OmegaConf.select(cfg.a, "..a") == {"b": {"c": 10}}
-        assert OmegaConf.select(cfg.a, "..z") == 10
-
 
 @mark.parametrize(
     "cfg,key,expected",
@@ -263,11 +253,62 @@ def test_select_resolves_interpolation(cfg: Any, key: str, expected: Any) -> Non
         assert OmegaConf.select(cfg, key) == expected
 
 
-def test_select_relative_from_nested_node() -> None:
-    cfg = OmegaConf.create(
-        {"a": {"b": {"c": 10}}, "z": 10},
+inp: Any = {"a": {"b": {"c": 10}}, "z": 10}
+
+
+class TestSelectFromNestedNode:
+    @mark.parametrize(
+        ("key", "expected"),
+        [
+            # all selects are performed on cfg.a:
+            # relative keys
+            (".", inp["a"]),
+            (".b", inp["a"]["b"]),
+            (".b.c", inp["a"]["b"]["c"]),
+            ("..", inp),
+            ("..a", inp["a"]),
+            ("..a.b", inp["a"]["b"]),
+            ("..z", inp["z"]),
+        ],
     )
-    assert OmegaConf.select(cfg.a, ".") == {"b": {"c": 10}}
-    assert OmegaConf.select(cfg.a, "..") == {"a": {"b": {"c": 10}}, "z": 10}
-    assert OmegaConf.select(cfg.a, "..a") == {"b": {"c": 10}}
-    assert OmegaConf.select(cfg.a, "..z") == 10
+    def test_select_from_nested_node_with_a_relative_key(
+        self, key: str, expected: Any
+    ) -> None:
+        cfg = OmegaConf.create(inp)
+        # select returns the same result when a key is relative independent of absolute_key flag.
+        assert OmegaConf.select(cfg.a, key, absolute_key=False) == expected
+        assert OmegaConf.select(cfg.a, key, absolute_key=True) == expected
+
+    @mark.parametrize(
+        ("key", "expected"),
+        [
+            # all selects are performed on cfg.a:
+            # absolute keys are relative to the calling node
+            ("", inp["a"]),
+            ("b", inp["a"]["b"]),
+            ("b.c", inp["a"]["b"]["c"]),
+        ],
+    )
+    def test_select_from_nested_node_relative_key_interpretation(
+        self, key: str, expected: Any
+    ) -> None:
+        cfg = OmegaConf.create(inp)
+        assert OmegaConf.select(cfg.a, key, absolute_key=False) == expected
+
+    @mark.parametrize(
+        ("key", "expected"),
+        [
+            # all selects are performed on cfg.a:
+            # absolute keys are relative to the config root
+            ("", inp),
+            ("a", inp["a"]),
+            ("a.b", inp["a"]["b"]),
+            ("a.b.c", inp["a"]["b"]["c"]),
+            ("z", inp["z"]),
+        ],
+    )
+    def test_select_from_nested_node_absolute_key_interpretation(
+        self, key: str, expected: Any
+    ) -> None:
+        cfg = OmegaConf.create(inp)
+        assert OmegaConf.select(cfg.a, key, absolute_key=True) == expected