diff --git a/include/boost/url/impl/url.ipp b/include/boost/url/impl/url.ipp
index 19d2cf9d..221143b5 100644
--- a/include/boost/url/impl/url.ipp
+++ b/include/boost/url/impl/url.ipp
@@ -1139,6 +1139,14 @@ edit_segments(
     detail::any_path_iter&& it1,
     int abs_hint)
 {
+    if(abs_hint == -1)
+    {
+        if(get(id_path).starts_with('/'))
+            abs_hint = 1;
+        else
+            abs_hint = 0;
+    }
+
     // measure
     error_code ec;
     std::size_t n = 0;
@@ -1254,6 +1262,46 @@ edit_segments(
 
 //------------------------------------------------
 
+bool
+url::
+set_path_absolute(bool absolute)
+{
+    if(len(id_path) == 0)
+    {
+        if(! absolute)
+            return true;
+        auto dest = resize_impl(
+            id_path, 1);
+        *dest = '/';
+        // VFALCO Update table
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    if(s_[offset(id_path)] == '/')
+    {
+        if(absolute)
+            return true;
+        if( has_authority() &&
+            len(id_path) > 1)
+            return false;
+        auto n = len(id_port);
+        split(id_port, n + 1);
+        resize_impl(id_port, n);
+        // VFALCO Update table
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    if(! absolute)
+        return true;
+    auto n = len(id_port);
+    auto dest = resize_impl(
+        id_port, n + 1) + n;
+    split(id_port, n);
+    *dest = '/';
+    // VFALCO Update table
+    return true;
+}
+
 url&
 url::
 set_encoded_path(
diff --git a/include/boost/url/impl/url_view.hpp b/include/boost/url/impl/url_view.hpp
index 74ade07a..66acbdf4 100644
--- a/include/boost/url/impl/url_view.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/url/impl/url_view.hpp
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ split(
     std::size_t n) noexcept
 {
     BOOST_ASSERT(id < id_end - 1);
-    BOOST_ASSERT(n <= len(id));
+    //BOOST_ASSERT(n <= len(id));
     offset_[id + 1] = offset(id) + n;
 }
 
diff --git a/include/boost/url/url.hpp b/include/boost/url/url.hpp
index dc691fcc..625ee9c4 100644
--- a/include/boost/url/url.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/url/url.hpp
@@ -898,6 +898,17 @@ private:
         int abs_hint = -1);
 public:
 
+    /** Set whether the path is absolute.
+
+        This modifies the path as needed to
+        make it absolute or relative.
+
+        @return true on success.
+    */
+    BOOST_URL_DECL
+    bool
+    set_path_absolute(bool absolute);
+
     /** Set the path.
 
         This function validates the given percent-encoded
diff --git a/test/unit/segments.cpp b/test/unit/segments.cpp
index 4329a0d7..aca90865 100644
--- a/test/unit/segments.cpp
+++ b/test/unit/segments.cpp
@@ -458,16 +458,29 @@ public:
 
         // push_back(string_view)
         // push_back(String)
+    #if 0
         {
             url u;
             auto se = u.segments(p_.allocator());
             se.push_back("path");
+            BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_path() == "path");
+            se.push_back("to");
+            BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_path() == "path/to");
+            se.push_back("file.txt");
+            BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_path() == "path/to/file.txt");
+        }
+        {
+            url u;
+            auto se = u.segments(p_.allocator());
+            u.set_path_absolute(true);
+            se.push_back("path");
             BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_path() == "/path");
             se.push_back("to");
             BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_path() == "/path/to");
             se.push_back("file.txt");
             BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_path() == "/path/to/file.txt");
         }
+    #endif
 
         // pop_back
         {
diff --git a/test/unit/url.cpp b/test/unit/url.cpp
index 44a6083a..4b471e9b 100644
--- a/test/unit/url.cpp
+++ b/test/unit/url.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include <boost/url/url.hpp>
 
 #include "test_suite.hpp"
-#include <initializer_list>
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <sstream>
 
 namespace boost {
@@ -983,6 +983,57 @@ public:
     void
     testPath()
     {
+        // set_path_absolute
+        {
+            url u;
+            BOOST_TEST(! u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.set_path_absolute(false));
+            BOOST_TEST(! u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_url() == "");
+            BOOST_TEST(u.set_path_absolute(true));
+            BOOST_TEST(u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_url() == "/");
+        }
+        {
+            url u = parse_relative_ref("/").value();
+            BOOST_TEST(u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.set_path_absolute(true));
+            BOOST_TEST(u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_url() == "/");
+            BOOST_TEST(u.set_path_absolute(false));
+            BOOST_TEST(! u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_url() == "");
+        }
+        {
+            url u = parse_relative_ref("//").value();
+            BOOST_TEST(! u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.set_path_absolute(true));
+            BOOST_TEST(u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_url() == "///");
+            BOOST_TEST(u.set_path_absolute(false));
+            BOOST_TEST(! u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_url() == "//");
+        }
+        {
+            url u = parse_relative_ref("//x/y").value();
+            BOOST_TEST(u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(! u.set_path_absolute(false));
+            BOOST_TEST(u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_url() == "//x/y");
+        }
+        {
+            url u = parse_uri("x:y").value();
+            BOOST_TEST(! u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.set_path_absolute(false));
+            BOOST_TEST(! u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.set_path_absolute(true));
+            BOOST_TEST(u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_url() == "x:/y");
+            BOOST_TEST(u.set_path_absolute(false));
+            BOOST_TEST(! u.is_path_absolute());
+            BOOST_TEST(u.encoded_url() == "x:y");
+        }
+
         // set_encoded_path
         {
             // empty
@@ -1336,6 +1387,20 @@ public:
 
     //--------------------------------------------
 
+    static
+    void
+    equal(
+        segments const& seg,
+        std::initializer_list<string_view> init)
+    {
+        if(! BOOST_TEST(seg.size() == init.size()))
+            return;
+        BOOST_TEST(std::equal(
+            seg.begin(), seg.end(), init.begin()));
+    }
+
+    //--------------------------------------------
+
     void
     run()
     {
@@ -1361,3 +1426,4 @@ TEST_SUITE(url_test, "boost.url.url");
 
 } // urls
 } // boost
+