diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3ffd0f8..108f160 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ A Gitea Action that caches build files as `tar.xz` archives on the runner filesy
 2. Stores archives at `~/.cache/.cache-store/<key>.tar.xz`
 3. Restores by extracting the archive to `/`, saves by creating one
 4. Saves atomically (write to `<key>.tar.xz.tmp`, then rename)
+5. Archives store the cached directory **relative** (`<basename>/...`), not its
+   absolute path — a later run restores into its own `path` location, so the
+   cache works across runs even though each run gets a fresh workspace
 
 ## Cache Retention
 
diff --git a/action.yaml b/action.yaml
index ecb22e4..e53421c 100644
--- a/action.yaml
+++ b/action.yaml
@@ -37,9 +37,13 @@ runs:
         fi
 
         echo "Saving cache: ${CACHE_KEY}"
-        REL_PATH="$(echo "$EXPANDED_PATH" | sed 's|^/||')"
+        # Archive only the directory itself (entries: <basename>/...), not its
+        # absolute path, so a later run can restore it into its own (per-run)
+        # workspace location. Restores use the same `path` input to find it.
+        PARENT="$(dirname "$EXPANDED_PATH")"
+        BASE="$(basename "$EXPANDED_PATH")"
         TMP_ARCHIVE="${ARCHIVE}.tmp"
-        if tar -cJf "$TMP_ARCHIVE" -C "/" "$REL_PATH" 2>/dev/null && mv -f "$TMP_ARCHIVE" "$ARCHIVE"; then
+        if tar -cJf "$TMP_ARCHIVE" -C "$PARENT" "$BASE" 2>/dev/null && mv -f "$TMP_ARCHIVE" "$ARCHIVE"; then
           echo "Cache saved"
         else
           rm -f "$TMP_ARCHIVE"