diff --git a/src/Filesystem/Folder.php b/src/Filesystem/Folder.php
index 1c5c94a9aa6..4bf6146d208 100644
--- a/src/Filesystem/Folder.php
+++ b/src/Filesystem/Folder.php
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 use DirectoryIterator;
 use Exception;
+use InvalidArgumentException;
 use RecursiveDirectoryIterator;
 use RecursiveIteratorIterator;
 
@@ -418,15 +419,15 @@ public function inCakePath($path = '')
     /**
      * Returns true if the Folder is in the given path.
      *
-     * @param string $path The absolute path to check that the current `pwd()` resides within. If omitted
-     *  (or empty), the current top level directory is assumed.
+     * @param string $path The absolute path to check that the current `pwd()` resides within.
      * @param bool $reverse Reverse the search, check if the given `$path` resides within the current `pwd()`.
      * @return bool
+     * @throws \InvalidArgumentException When the given `$path` argument is not an absolute path.
      */
-    public function inPath($path = '', $reverse = false)
+    public function inPath($path, $reverse = false)
     {
-        if (empty($path)) {
-            $path = realpath(DS);
+        if (!Folder::isAbsolute($path)) {
+            throw new InvalidArgumentException('The $path argument is expected to be an absolute path.');
         }
 
         $dir = Folder::slashTerm($path);
diff --git a/tests/TestCase/Filesystem/FolderTest.php b/tests/TestCase/Filesystem/FolderTest.php
index cc5d1c51324..2f6f7d4bb5f 100644
--- a/tests/TestCase/Filesystem/FolderTest.php
+++ b/tests/TestCase/Filesystem/FolderTest.php
@@ -102,8 +102,9 @@ public function testInPath()
         $result = $Base->pwd();
         $this->assertEquals($basePath, $result);
 
+
         // is "/" in "/tests/test_app/"
-        $result = $Base->inPath('', true);
+        $result = $Base->inPath(realpath(DS), true);
         $this->assertFalse($result, true);
 
         // is "/tests/test_app/" in "/tests/test_app/"
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ public function testInPath()
 
 
         // is "/tests/test_app/" in "/"
-        $result = $Base->inPath();
+        $result = $Base->inPath(realpath(DS));
         $this->assertTrue($result);
 
         // is "/tests/test_app/" in "/tests/test_app/"
@@ -154,6 +155,32 @@ public function testInPath()
         $this->assertFalse($result);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Data provider for the testInPathInvalidPathArgument test
+     *
+     * @return array
+     */
+    public function inPathInvalidPathArgumentDataProvider()
+    {
+        return [
+            [''],
+            ['relative/path/'],
+            ['unknown://stream-wrapper']
+        ];
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @dataProvider inPathInvalidPathArgumentDataProvider
+     * @param string $path
+     * @expectedException \InvalidArgumentException
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage The $path argument is expected to be an absolute path.
+     */
+    public function testInPathInvalidPathArgument($path)
+    {
+        $Folder = new Folder();
+        $Folder->inPath($path);
+    }
+
     /**
      * test creation of single and multiple paths.
      *