diff --git a/autoload/vimtex/paths.vim b/autoload/vimtex/paths.vim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77b7e3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autoload/vimtex/paths.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+" vimtex - LaTeX plugin for Vim
+"
+" Maintainer: Karl Yngve Lervåg
+" Email:      karl.yngve@gmail.com
+"
+
+function! vimtex#paths#shorten_relative(path) " {{{1
+  " Input: An absolute path
+  " Output: Relative path with respect to the vimtex root, path relative to
+  "         vimtex root (unless absolute path is shorter)
+
+  let l:relative = vimtex#paths#relative(a:path, b:vimtex.root)
+  return strlen(l:relative) < strlen(a:path)
+        \ ? l:relative : a:path
+endfunction
+
+" }}}1
+function! vimtex#paths#relative(path, current) " {{{1
+  " Note: This algorithm is based on the one presented by @Offirmo at SO,
+  "       http://stackoverflow.com/a/12498485/51634
+  let l:target = a:path
+
+  let l:common = a:current
+  let l:result = ''
+  while substitute(l:target, '^' . l:common, '', '') ==# l:target
+    let l:common = fnamemodify(l:common, ':h')
+    let l:result = empty(l:result) ? '..' : '../' . l:result
+  endwhile
+
+  if l:common ==# '/'
+    let l:result .= '/'
+  endif
+
+  let l:forward = substitute(l:target, '^' . l:common, '', '')
+  if !empty(l:forward)
+    let l:result = empty(l:result)
+          \ ? l:forward[1:]
+          \ : l:result . l:forward
+  endif
+
+  return l:result
+endfunction
+
+" }}}1