diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index da09538b4..8980de944 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -119,6 +119,10 @@ modtime.
 
 ### BUG FIXES:
 
+- Added support for a per-directory relative form of `--compare-dest`,
+  `--copy-dest`, and `--link-dest`: prefix a relative DIR with `: ` to make it
+  resolve from each destination file's containing directory.
+
 - Fixed a regression introduced by the 3.4.0 secure_relative_open()
   CVE fix where legitimate directory symlinks on the receiver side
   (e.g. when using `-K` / `--copy-dirlinks`) caused "failed
diff --git a/generator.c b/generator.c
index 8642236e7..700fe7f23 100644
--- a/generator.c
+++ b/generator.c
@@ -960,7 +960,7 @@ static int try_dests_reg(struct file_struct *file, char *fname, int ndx,
 	int j = 0;
 
 	do {
-		pathjoin(cmpbuf, MAXPATHLEN, basis_dir[j], fname);
+		pathjoin_altdest(cmpbuf, MAXPATHLEN, j, fname);
 		if (link_stat(cmpbuf, &sxp->st, 0) < 0 || !S_ISREG(sxp->st.st_mode))
 			continue;
 		if (match_level == 0) {
@@ -986,7 +986,7 @@ static int try_dests_reg(struct file_struct *file, char *fname, int ndx,
 
 	if (j != best_match) {
 		j = best_match;
-		pathjoin(cmpbuf, MAXPATHLEN, basis_dir[j], fname);
+		pathjoin_altdest(cmpbuf, MAXPATHLEN, j, fname);
 		if (link_stat(cmpbuf, &sxp->st, 0) < 0)
 			goto got_nothing_for_ya;
 	}
@@ -1081,7 +1081,7 @@ static int try_dests_non(struct file_struct *file, char *fname, int ndx,
 	}
 
 	do {
-		pathjoin(cmpbuf, MAXPATHLEN, basis_dir[j], fname);
+		pathjoin_altdest(cmpbuf, MAXPATHLEN, j, fname);
 		if (link_stat(cmpbuf, &sxp->st, 0) < 0)
 			continue;
 		if (ftype != get_file_type(sxp->st.st_mode))
@@ -1108,7 +1108,7 @@ static int try_dests_non(struct file_struct *file, char *fname, int ndx,
 
 	if (j != best_match) {
 		j = best_match;
-		pathjoin(cmpbuf, MAXPATHLEN, basis_dir[j], fname);
+		pathjoin_altdest(cmpbuf, MAXPATHLEN, j, fname);
 		if (link_stat(cmpbuf, &sxp->st, 0) < 0)
 			return -1;
 	}
@@ -1773,7 +1773,7 @@ static void recv_generator(char *fname, struct file_struct *file, int ndx,
 			int i;
 			strlcpy(fnamecmpbuf, dn, sizeof fnamecmpbuf);
 			for (i = 0; i < fuzzy_basis; i++) {
-				if (i && pathjoin(fnamecmpbuf, MAXPATHLEN, basis_dir[i-1], dn) >= MAXPATHLEN)
+				if (i && pathjoin_altdest_dir(fnamecmpbuf, MAXPATHLEN, i-1, dn) >= MAXPATHLEN)
 					continue;
 				fuzzy_dirlist[i] = get_dirlist(fnamecmpbuf, -1, GDL_IGNORE_FILTER_RULES | GDL_PERHAPS_DIR);
 				if (fuzzy_dirlist[i] && fuzzy_dirlist[i]->used == 0) {
diff --git a/hlink.c b/hlink.c
index eb36730fd..86eddf857 100644
--- a/hlink.c
+++ b/hlink.c
@@ -356,8 +356,8 @@ int hard_link_check(struct file_struct *file, int ndx, char *fname,
 			}
 
 			if (alt_dest >= 0 && dry_run) {
-				pathjoin(namebuf, MAXPATHLEN, basis_dir[alt_dest],
-					 f_name(prev_file, NULL));
+				pathjoin_altdest(namebuf, MAXPATHLEN, alt_dest,
+						  f_name(prev_file, NULL));
 				prev_name = namebuf;
 				realname = f_name(prev_file, altbuf);
 			} else {
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ int hard_link_check(struct file_struct *file, int ndx, char *fname,
 		int j = 0;
 		init_stat_x(&alt_sx);
 		do {
-			pathjoin(cmpbuf, MAXPATHLEN, basis_dir[j], fname);
+			pathjoin_altdest(cmpbuf, MAXPATHLEN, j, fname);
 			if (link_stat(cmpbuf, &alt_sx.st, 0) < 0)
 				continue;
 			if (alt_dest_type == LINK_DEST) {
@@ -496,8 +496,8 @@ void finish_hard_link(struct file_struct *file, const char *fname, int fin_ndx,
 	file->flags |= FLAG_HLINK_FIRST | FLAG_HLINK_DONE;
 	F_HL_PREV(file) = alt_dest;
 	if (alt_dest >= 0 && dry_run) {
-		pathjoin(alt_name, MAXPATHLEN, basis_dir[alt_dest],
-			 f_name(file, NULL));
+		pathjoin_altdest(alt_name, MAXPATHLEN, alt_dest,
+				  f_name(file, NULL));
 		our_name = alt_name;
 	} else
 		our_name = fname;
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 9b52bbe6a..f29391606 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ extern BOOL want_progress_now;
 extern BOOL shutting_down;
 extern int backup_dir_len;
 extern int basis_dir_cnt;
+extern int basis_dir_perdir[MAX_BASIS_DIRS+1];
 extern int default_af_hint;
 extern int stdout_format_has_i;
 extern int trust_sender_filter;
@@ -867,7 +868,7 @@ static void check_alt_basis_dirs(void)
 		int bd_len = strlen(bdir);
 		if (bd_len > 1 && bdir[bd_len-1] == '/')
 			bdir[--bd_len] = '\0';
-		if (dry_run > 1 && *bdir != '/') {
+		if (!basis_dir_perdir[j] && dry_run > 1 && *bdir != '/') {
 			int len = curr_dir_len + 1 + bd_len + 1;
 			char *new = new_array(char, len);
 			if (slash && strncmp(bdir, "../", 3) == 0) {
@@ -882,6 +883,8 @@ static void check_alt_basis_dirs(void)
 				pathjoin(new, len, curr_dir, bdir);
 			basis_dir[j] = bdir = new;
 		}
+		if (basis_dir_perdir[j] && *bdir != '/')
+			continue;
 		if (do_stat(bdir, &st) < 0)
 			rprintf(FWARNING, "%s arg does not exist: %s\n", alt_dest_opt(0), bdir);
 		else if (!S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))
diff --git a/options.c b/options.c
index 8568af2b2..ed19efc20 100644
--- a/options.c
+++ b/options.c
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ char *backup_suffix = NULL;
 char *tmpdir = NULL;
 char *partial_dir = NULL;
 char *basis_dir[MAX_BASIS_DIRS+1];
+int basis_dir_perdir[MAX_BASIS_DIRS+1];
 char *config_file = NULL;
 char *shell_cmd = NULL;
 char *logfile_name = NULL;
@@ -1737,6 +1738,7 @@ int parse_arguments(int *argc_p, const char ***argv_p)
 			want_dest_type = COMPARE_DEST;
 
 		set_dest_dir:
+			arg = poptGetOptArg(pc);
 			if (alt_dest_type && alt_dest_type != want_dest_type) {
 				snprintf(err_buf, sizeof err_buf,
 					"ERROR: the %s option conflicts with the %s option\n",
@@ -1751,9 +1753,13 @@ int parse_arguments(int *argc_p, const char ***argv_p)
 					MAX_BASIS_DIRS, alt_dest_opt(0));
 				goto cleanup;
 			}
+			if (arg[0] == ':' && arg[1] == ' ') {
+				basis_dir_perdir[basis_dir_cnt] = 1;
+				arg += 2;
+			}
 			/* We defer sanitizing this arg until we know what
 			 * our destination directory is going to be. */
-			basis_dir[basis_dir_cnt++] = (char *)poptGetOptArg(pc);
+			basis_dir[basis_dir_cnt++] = (char *)arg;
 			break;
 
 		case OPT_CHMOD:
@@ -2935,8 +2941,15 @@ void server_options(char **args, int *argc_p)
 			 *   option, so don't send it if client is the sender.
 			 */
 			for (i = 0; i < basis_dir_cnt; i++) {
+				char *basis_arg = basis_dir[i];
 				args[ac++] = alt_dest_opt(0);
-				args[ac++] = safe_arg("", basis_dir[i]);
+				if (basis_dir_perdir[i]) {
+					int len = strlen(basis_arg) + 3;
+					char *new = new_array(char, len);
+					snprintf(new, len, ": %s", basis_arg);
+					basis_arg = new;
+				}
+				args[ac++] = safe_arg("", basis_arg);
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/receiver.c b/receiver.c
index 2b263cea0..23165f120 100644
--- a/receiver.c
+++ b/receiver.c
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ extern int write_devices;
 extern int preserve_xattrs;
 extern int do_fsync;
 extern int basis_dir_cnt;
+extern int basis_dir_perdir[MAX_BASIS_DIRS+1];
 extern int make_backups;
 extern int cleanup_got_literal;
 extern int remove_source_files;
@@ -844,7 +845,8 @@ int recv_files(int f_in, int f_out, char *local_name)
 				if (fnamecmp_type > FNAMECMP_FUZZY && fnamecmp_type-FNAMECMP_FUZZY <= basis_dir_cnt) {
 					fnamecmp_type -= FNAMECMP_FUZZY + 1;
 					if (file->dirname) {
-						pathjoin(fnamecmpbuf, sizeof fnamecmpbuf, basis_dir[fnamecmp_type], file->dirname);
+						pathjoin_altdest_dir(fnamecmpbuf, sizeof fnamecmpbuf,
+								     fnamecmp_type, file->dirname);
 						basedir = fnamecmpbuf;
 					} else {
 						basedir = basis_dir[fnamecmp_type];
@@ -856,8 +858,13 @@ int recv_files(int f_in, int f_out, char *local_name)
 						fnamecmp_type);
 					exit_cleanup(RERR_PROTOCOL);
 				} else {
-					basedir = basis_dir[fnamecmp_type];
-					fnamecmp = fname;
+					if (basis_dir_perdir[fnamecmp_type] && *basis_dir[fnamecmp_type] != '/') {
+						pathjoin_altdest(fnamecmpbuf, sizeof fnamecmpbuf, fnamecmp_type, fname);
+						fnamecmp = fnamecmpbuf;
+					} else {
+						basedir = basis_dir[fnamecmp_type];
+						fnamecmp = fname;
+					}
 				}
 				break;
 			}
@@ -893,8 +900,14 @@ int recv_files(int f_in, int f_out, char *local_name)
 
 			if (fd1 == -1 && basis_dir[0]) {
 				/* pre-29 allowed only one alternate basis */
-				basedir = basis_dir[0];
-				fnamecmp = fname;
+				if (basis_dir_perdir[0] && *basis_dir[0] != '/') {
+					pathjoin_altdest(fnamecmpbuf, sizeof fnamecmpbuf, 0, fname);
+					basedir = NULL;
+					fnamecmp = fnamecmpbuf;
+				} else {
+					basedir = basis_dir[0];
+					fnamecmp = fname;
+				}
 				fnamecmp_type = FNAMECMP_BASIS_DIR_LOW;
 				fd1 = secure_basis_open(basedir, fnamecmp, O_RDONLY, 0);
 			}
diff --git a/rsync.1.md b/rsync.1.md
index fdf0b2e95..d564dd6d6 100644
--- a/rsync.1.md
+++ b/rsync.1.md
@@ -2677,6 +2677,8 @@ expand it.
     transfer.
 
     If _DIR_ is a relative path, it is relative to the destination directory.
+    If _DIR_ begins with `: `, the rest of the path is instead relative to
+    each destination file's containing directory.
     See also [`--copy-dest`](#opt) and [`--link-dest`](#opt).
 
     NOTE: beginning with version 3.1.0, rsync will remove a file from a
@@ -2698,6 +2700,8 @@ expand it.
     try to speed up the transfer.
 
     If _DIR_ is a relative path, it is relative to the destination directory.
+    If _DIR_ begins with `: `, the rest of the path is instead relative to
+    each destination file's containing directory.
     See also [`--compare-dest`](#opt) and [`--link-dest`](#opt).
 
 0.  `--link-dest=DIR`
@@ -2735,6 +2739,8 @@ expand it.
     the file is updated.
 
     If _DIR_ is a relative path, it is relative to the destination directory.
+    If _DIR_ begins with `: `, the rest of the path is instead relative to
+    each destination file's containing directory.
     See also [`--compare-dest`](#opt) and [`--copy-dest`](#opt).
 
     Note that rsync versions prior to 2.6.1 had a bug that could prevent
diff --git a/t_stub.c b/t_stub.c
index 2b99e74d3..a7d8c0556 100644
--- a/t_stub.c
+++ b/t_stub.c
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ size_t max_alloc = (size_t)-1; /* test helpers are not memory-constrained;
 				* per-component fallback of secure_relative_open()
 				* hits at its first my_strdup() call. */
 char *partial_dir;
+char *basis_dir[MAX_BASIS_DIRS+1];
+int basis_dir_perdir[MAX_BASIS_DIRS+1];
 char *module_dir;
 /* curr_dir[]/curr_dir_len (read by secure_relative_open) are defined in
  * syscall.c, which every helper links -- no stub needed here. */
diff --git a/testsuite/COVERAGE.md b/testsuite/COVERAGE.md
index 6f6e37cf3..7fda88828 100644
--- a/testsuite/COVERAGE.md
+++ b/testsuite/COVERAGE.md
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ Status legend: ✓ property asserted · `~` shallow / by an existing ported test
 | --inplace | inplace*new*, alt-dest | Y | — | ✓ inode preserved |
 | --append / --append-verify | append*new* | Y | — | ✓ verify split is proto 30+ |
 | -b, --backup / --backup-dir / --suffix | backup, backup-deep*new* | Y | Y | ✓ |
-| --compare-dest / --copy-dest / --link-dest | alt-dest, alt-dest-deep*new* | Y | Y | ✓ link=hardlink, copy=copy, compare=skip |
+| --compare-dest / --copy-dest / --link-dest | alt-dest, alt-dest-deep*new*, alt-dest-per-dir*new* | Y | Y | ✓ link=hardlink, copy=copy, compare=skip, per-dir `: REL` |
 | -y, --fuzzy | fuzzy | `~` | — | `~` |
 | -u, --update | update*new* | Y | — | ✓ keeps newer dest, updates older |
 | -W, --whole-file | (used widely; --no-whole-file ubiquitous) | n/a | — | `~` |
diff --git a/testsuite/alt-dest-per-dir_test.py b/testsuite/alt-dest-per-dir_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..56d6493a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/alt-dest-per-dir_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Per-directory relative --compare/copy/link-dest paths.
+
+An alt-dest arg prefixed with ": " is resolved from each destination file's
+containing directory.  The fixture mirrors a restructure where an old flat file
+already exists in the destination and the source now places it one level deeper.
+"""
+
+import os
+
+from rsyncfns import (
+    FROMDIR, TODIR,
+    assert_exists, assert_hardlinked, assert_not_exists, assert_not_hardlinked,
+    assert_same, rmtree, run_rsync, test_fail,
+)
+
+old_rel = os.path.join('show', 'episode.mkv')
+new_rel = os.path.join('show', 'season1', 'episode.mkv')
+
+
+def seed_trees(old_name='episode.mkv'):
+    rmtree(FROMDIR)
+    rmtree(TODIR)
+    (FROMDIR / 'show' / 'season1').mkdir(parents=True)
+    (TODIR / 'show').mkdir(parents=True)
+    data = b'episode payload\n'
+    (FROMDIR / new_rel).write_bytes(data)
+    (TODIR / 'show' / old_name).write_bytes(data)
+    os.utime(FROMDIR / new_rel, (1000000000, 1000000000))
+    os.utime(TODIR / 'show' / old_name, (1000000000, 1000000000))
+
+
+def run_to(opt, *extra):
+    seed_trees()
+    run_rsync('-a', *extra, f'--{opt}=: ..', f'{FROMDIR}/', f'{TODIR}/')
+
+
+run_to('link-dest')
+assert_exists(TODIR / new_rel, label='link-dest per-dir result')
+assert_hardlinked(TODIR / new_rel, TODIR / old_rel, label='link-dest : ..')
+
+run_to('copy-dest')
+assert_exists(TODIR / new_rel, label='copy-dest per-dir result')
+assert_same(TODIR / new_rel, FROMDIR / new_rel, label='copy-dest : ..')
+assert_not_hardlinked(TODIR / new_rel, TODIR / old_rel, label='copy-dest : ..')
+
+run_to('compare-dest')
+assert_not_exists(TODIR / new_rel, label='compare-dest : ..')
+
+seed_trees(old_name='episode-old.mkv')
+proc = run_rsync('-a', '--debug=FUZZY1', '--fuzzy', '--fuzzy',
+                 '--link-dest=: ..', f'{FROMDIR}/', f'{TODIR}/',
+                 capture_output=True)
+out = proc.stdout + proc.stderr
+if 'fuzzy basis selected for show/season1/episode.mkv: show/season1/../episode-old.mkv' not in out:
+    test_fail(f"--fuzzy did not scan per-dir --link-dest=: .. basis:\n{out}")
+assert_exists(TODIR / new_rel, label='fuzzy per-dir basis result')
+assert_same(TODIR / new_rel, FROMDIR / new_rel, label='fuzzy : ..')
+assert_not_hardlinked(TODIR / new_rel, TODIR / 'show' / 'episode-old.mkv',
+                      label='fuzzy transfers delta')
+
+print("alt-dest-per-dir: per-directory --compare/copy/link-dest basis paths verified")
diff --git a/util1.c b/util1.c
index d9d9f4bcf..eb38bc57c 100644
--- a/util1.c
+++ b/util1.c
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ extern int preallocate_files;
 extern char *module_dir;
 extern unsigned int module_dirlen;
 extern char *partial_dir;
+extern char *basis_dir[MAX_BASIS_DIRS+1];
+extern int basis_dir_perdir[MAX_BASIS_DIRS+1];
 extern filter_rule_list daemon_filter_list;
 
 int sanitize_paths = 0;
@@ -905,6 +907,49 @@ size_t pathjoin(char *dest, size_t destsize, const char *p1, const char *p2)
 	return len;
 }
 
+/* Join an alternate-basis dir and a destination filename.  A per-directory
+ * basis dir is relative to the destination file's containing directory. */
+size_t pathjoin_altdest(char *dest, size_t destsize, int basis_ndx, const char *fname)
+{
+	const char *bdir = basis_dir[basis_ndx];
+	const char *slash;
+	size_t bdir_len;
+	int len;
+
+	if (!basis_dir_perdir[basis_ndx] || *bdir == '/')
+		return pathjoin(dest, destsize, bdir, fname);
+
+	slash = strrchr(fname, '/');
+	if (!slash) {
+		if (!*bdir)
+			return strlcpy(dest, fname, destsize);
+		return pathjoin(dest, destsize, bdir, fname);
+	}
+
+	if (!*bdir)
+		len = snprintf(dest, destsize, "%.*s/%s", (int)(slash - fname), fname, slash + 1);
+	else {
+		bdir_len = strlen(bdir);
+		len = snprintf(dest, destsize, "%.*s/%s%s%s",
+			       (int)(slash - fname), fname, bdir,
+			       bdir[bdir_len-1] == '/' ? "" : "/", slash + 1);
+	}
+
+	return len < 0 ? destsize : (size_t)len;
+}
+
+/* Join an alternate-basis dir and a destination directory. */
+size_t pathjoin_altdest_dir(char *dest, size_t destsize, int basis_ndx, const char *dir)
+{
+	const char *bdir = basis_dir[basis_ndx];
+
+	if (!basis_dir_perdir[basis_ndx] || *bdir == '/')
+		return pathjoin(dest, destsize, bdir, dir);
+	if (!*bdir)
+		return strlcpy(dest, dir, destsize);
+	return pathjoin(dest, destsize, dir, bdir);
+}
+
 /* Join any number of strings together, putting them in "dest".  The return
  * value is the length of all the strings, regardless of whether the null-
  * terminated whole fits in destsize.  Your list of string pointers must end