diff --git a/lib/module.js b/lib/module.js
index 844b683940c2a4..598b17abb2abc1 100644
--- a/lib/module.js
+++ b/lib/module.js
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ const noopDeprecateRequireDot = util.deprecate(function() {},
 Module._findPath = function(request, paths) {
   var exts = Object.keys(Module._extensions);
 
-  if (request.charAt(0) === '/') {
+  if (path.isAbsolute(request)) {
     paths = [''];
   }
 
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ Module._findPath = function(request, paths) {
 
   // For each path
   for (var i = 0, PL = paths.length; i < PL; i++) {
+    // Don't search further if path doesn't exist
+    if (paths[i] && internalModuleStat(paths[i]) < 1) continue;
     var basePath = path.resolve(paths[i], request);
     var filename;