diff --git a/rules/files.bzl b/rules/files.bzl
index 9be958095ef2f..2262fb3dce107 100644
--- a/rules/files.bzl
+++ b/rules/files.bzl
@@ -67,6 +67,17 @@ def _copy_files(ctx):
             files.append(file)
 
     out_file = ctx.actions.declare_file(ctx.label.name + ".bash")
+
+    relative_to_path = ctx.file.relative_to.short_path
+    if relative_to_path.startswith("../"):
+        runfile_path = relative_to_path[3:]
+    else:
+        workspace_name = ctx.workspace_name
+        if workspace_name:
+            runfile_path = workspace_name + "/" + relative_to_path
+        else:
+            runfile_path = relative_to_path
+
     substitutions = {
         # This is maybe a bit naughty: we rely on the fact that the `package`
         # portion of the `relative_to` label looks just like the dirname
@@ -75,6 +86,7 @@ def _copy_files(ctx):
         "__DEST__": ctx.attr.relative_to.label.package,
         "__FILES__": " ".join([f.path for f in files]),
         "__WORKSPACE__": ctx.attr.workspace_env,
+        "__RELATIVE_TO_RUNFILE__": runfile_path,
     }
     ctx.actions.expand_template(
         template = ctx.file._runner,
@@ -84,7 +96,7 @@ def _copy_files(ctx):
     )
 
     return [DefaultInfo(
-        runfiles = ctx.runfiles(files = files),
+        runfiles = ctx.runfiles(files = files + [ctx.file.relative_to]),
         executable = out_file,
     )]
 
diff --git a/rules/scripts/copy_files.template.sh b/rules/scripts/copy_files.template.sh
index c81afea02d8cd..7460267e9c1fb 100644
--- a/rules/scripts/copy_files.template.sh
+++ b/rules/scripts/copy_files.template.sh
@@ -7,29 +7,43 @@
 DEST="__DEST__"
 FILES=(__FILES__)
 
-# Change directory into the root of the project.
-if [[ ! -z "${BUILD_WORKSPACE_DIRECTORY+is_set}" ]]; then
-    cd ${BUILD_WORKSPACE_DIRECTORY} || exit 1
+if [[ ! -z "${RUNFILES_DIR+is_set}" ]]; then
+    true
+elif [[ -d "$0.runfiles" ]]; then
+    RUNFILES_DIR="$0.runfiles"
 else
-    echo "BUILD_WORKSPACE_DIRECTORY was not set."
-    echo "This rule should be executable and invoked with 'bazel run'."
+    echo "Could not find runfiles directory."
     exit 1
 fi
 
-# Since we may be building resources in an externally attached workspace,
-# determine the real path to that workspace.
-if [[ -z "${__WORKSPACE__+is_set}" ]]; then
-    echo "__WORKSPACE__ was not set."
+RUNFILES_DIR="$(realpath "$RUNFILES_DIR")"
+
+RELATIVE_TO_RUNFILE="__RELATIVE_TO_RUNFILE__"
+RELATIVE_TO_PATH="$RUNFILES_DIR/$RELATIVE_TO_RUNFILE"
+
+if [[ ! -f "$RELATIVE_TO_PATH" ]]; then
+    echo "Could not find relative_to file in runfiles: $RELATIVE_TO_PATH"
     exit 1
 fi
 
-WORKSPACE="$(realpath "${__WORKSPACE__}")"
-if [[ ! -d "$WORKSPACE" ]]; then
-    echo "$WORKSPACE isn't a directory."
+RESOLVED_PATH="$(realpath "$RELATIVE_TO_PATH")"
+DEST_DIR="$(dirname "$RESOLVED_PATH")"
+
+if [[ ! -d "$DEST_DIR" ]]; then
+    echo "Destination directory does not exist: $DEST_DIR"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Change directory into the root of the project.
+if [[ ! -z "${BUILD_WORKSPACE_DIRECTORY+is_set}" ]]; then
+    cd ${BUILD_WORKSPACE_DIRECTORY} || exit 1
+else
+    echo "BUILD_WORKSPACE_DIRECTORY was not set."
+    echo "This rule should be executable and invoked with 'bazel run'."
     exit 1
 fi
 
 # Copy the files from the source (e.g. bazel-out) to the destination.
 for f in "${FILES[@]}"; do
-  cp --no-preserve=mode "$f" "$WORKSPACE/$DEST"
+  cp --no-preserve=mode "$f" "$DEST_DIR"
 done