diff --git a/commands/server.go b/commands/server.go
index 045c3754e..ea2600542 100644
--- a/commands/server.go
+++ b/commands/server.go
@@ -1108,7 +1108,7 @@ func (s *staticSyncer) syncsStaticEvents(staticEvents []fsnotify.Event) error {
 
 			fromPath := ev.Name
 
-			relPath, found := sourceFs.MakePathRelative(fromPath, true)
+			relPath, found := sourceFs.MakePathRelative(fromPath, false)
 
 			if !found {
 				// Not member of this virtual host.
diff --git a/testscripts/server/server__delete_static_file_publish.txt b/testscripts/server/server__delete_static_file_publish.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7139d72d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testscripts/server/server__delete_static_file_publish.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# A deleted static file should be removed from the publish dir.
+
+hugo server &
+
+waitServer
+
+exists public/static.txt
+
+rm static/static.txt
+
+sleep 2
+
+! exists public/static.txt
+
+stopServer
+! stderr .
+
+-- hugo.toml --
+title = "Hugo Server Test"
+baseURL = "https://example.org/"
+disableKinds = ["taxonomy", "term", "sitemap"]
+-- layouts/all.html --
+All.
+-- content/p1.md --
+-- static/static.txt --
+static