diff --git a/src/_utils/_git_secret_tools.sh b/src/_utils/_git_secret_tools.sh
index b900f4b6..3fd0c4a3 100644
--- a/src/_utils/_git_secret_tools.sh
+++ b/src/_utils/_git_secret_tools.sh
@@ -222,6 +222,11 @@ function _get_record_filename {
   local filename
   filename=$(echo "$record" | awk -F: '{print $1}')
 
+  # remove / in top level file
+  if [[ $filename == "/"* ]]; then
+    filename="${filename:1}"
+  fi
+
   echo "$filename"
 }
 
@@ -304,6 +309,12 @@ function _git_normalize_filename {
 
   local result
   result=$(git ls-files --full-name -o "$filename")
+
+  # if file is in the top level, append a / so only that top level file is considered
+  if [[ $filename != *"/"* ]]; then
+    result="/$result"
+  fi
+
   echo "$result"
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/test_add.bats b/tests/test_add.bats
index a533d96c..70d5dbe0 100644
--- a/tests/test_add.bats
+++ b/tests/test_add.bats
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ function teardown {
 
   local files_list
   files_list=$(cat "$path_mappings")
-  [ "$files_list" = "$filename" ]
+  [ "$files_list" = "/$filename" ]
 
   # Cleaning up:
   rm "$filename" ".gitignore"
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ function teardown {
   echo "content" > "$test_file"
 
   local quoted_name
-  quoted_name=$(printf '%q' "$test_file")
+  quoted_name=$(printf '%q' "/$test_file")
 
   # add -i is now a no-op (See #225) so this tests that -i does nothing.
   run git secret add -i "$test_file"
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ function teardown {
   [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 
   [[ -f "$current_dir/.gitignore" ]]
-  run file_has_line "$nested_dir/$test_file" "$current_dir/.gitignore"
+  run file_has_line "/$nested_dir/$test_file" "$current_dir/.gitignore"
   [ "$output" = '0' ]
 
   # .gitignore was not created:
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ function teardown {
 
   local files_list
   files_list=$(cat "$path_mappings")
-  [ "$files_list" = "$filename" ]
+  [ "$files_list" = "/$filename" ]
 
   # Cleaning up:
   rm "$filename" ".gitignore"
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ function teardown {
 
   local files_list
   files_list=$(cat "$path_mappings")
-  [ "$files_list" = "$filename" ]
+  [ "$files_list" = "/$filename" ]
 
   # Ensuring the file is correctly git-ignored
   run git check-ignore "$filename"
@@ -276,4 +276,4 @@ function teardown {
 
   # Cleaning up:
   rm "$filename" ".gitignore"
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_hide.bats b/tests/test_hide.bats
index 71cd526e..8ff21e53 100644
--- a/tests/test_hide.bats
+++ b/tests/test_hide.bats
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ function teardown {
   [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 
   # File must be removed:
-  [ ! -f "$FILE_TO_HIDE" ]
+  [ ! -f "/$FILE_TO_HIDE" ]
 }
 
 
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ function teardown {
   [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 
   # File must be removed:
-  [ ! -f "$FILE_TO_HIDE" ]
+  [ ! -f "/$FILE_TO_HIDE" ]
 
   # It should be verbose:
   [[ "$output" == *"removing unencrypted files"* ]]
@@ -311,8 +311,8 @@ function teardown {
   [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 
   # File must be removed:
-  [ ! -f "$FILE_TO_HIDE" ]
-  [ ! -f "$second_file" ]
+  [ ! -f "/$FILE_TO_HIDE" ]
+  [ ! -f "/$second_file" ]
 
   # It should be verbose:
   [[ "$output" == *"removing unencrypted files"* ]]
@@ -330,4 +330,4 @@ function teardown {
   run git secret hide
   [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
   [[ "$output" == *"git-secret: done. 1 of 1 files are hidden."* ]]
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file