diff --git a/lib/irb/command/load.rb b/lib/irb/command/load.rb
index 36c6dbbad..983eeba61 100644
--- a/lib/irb/command/load.rb
+++ b/lib/irb/command/load.rb
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def execute(arg)
       def execute_internal(file_name = nil)
         raise_cmd_argument_error unless file_name
 
-        rex = Regexp.new("\\A#{Regexp.escape(file_name)}(?:\\.o|\\.rb)?\\z")
+        rex = Regexp.new("(?:\\A|/)#{Regexp.escape(file_name)}(?:\\.o|\\.rb)?\\z")
         return false if $".find{|f| f =~ rex}
 
         case file_name
diff --git a/test/irb/test_command.rb b/test/irb/test_command.rb
index 22b7c857c..73905e66c 100644
--- a/test/irb/test_command.rb
+++ b/test/irb/test_command.rb
@@ -473,6 +473,27 @@ def test_irb_require_file_matches_exact_name
       assert_match(/foo_loaded/, out)
       assert_match(/foo2_loaded/, out)
     end
+
+    def test_irb_require_skips_file_already_loaded_by_require
+      File.write("#{@tmpdir}/irb_require_probe.rb", "$irb_require_probe_count += 1\n")
+      File.write("#{@tmpdir}/probe.rb", "'probe_loaded'\n")
+      File.write("#{@tmpdir}/irb_require.rb", "'prefix_loaded'\n")
+
+      out, err = execute_lines(
+        "$LOAD_PATH.unshift '#{@tmpdir}'\n",
+        "$irb_require_probe_count = 0\n",
+        "require 'irb_require_probe'\n",
+        "irb_require 'irb_require_probe'\n",
+        "$irb_require_probe_count\n",
+        "irb_require 'probe'\n",
+        "irb_require 'irb_require'\n",
+      )
+
+      assert_empty(err)
+      assert_match(/=> 1\n/, out)
+      assert_match(/probe_loaded/, out)
+      assert_match(/prefix_loaded/, out)
+    end
   end
 
   class WorkspaceCommandTestCase < CommandTestCase