diff --git a/compressor/base.py b/compressor/base.py
index 44c07ed..03c1d9e 100644
--- a/compressor/base.py
+++ b/compressor/base.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from compressor.conf import settings
 from compressor.exceptions import (CompressorError, UncompressableFileError,
         FilterDoesNotExist)
 from compressor.filters import CachedCompilerFilter
+from compressor.filters.css_default import CssAbsoluteFilter
 from compressor.storage import compressor_file_storage
 from compressor.signals import post_compress
 from compressor.utils import get_class, get_mod_func, staticfiles
@@ -211,20 +212,24 @@ class Compressor(object):
                 precompiled, value = self.precompile(value, **options)
 
             if enabled:
-                yield self.filter(value, **options)
+                yield self.filter(value, self.cached_filters, **options)
+            elif precompiled:
+                # since precompiling moves files around, it breaks url()
+                # statements in css files. therefore we run the absolute filter
+                # on precompiled css files even if compression is disabled.
+                if CssAbsoluteFilter in self.cached_filters:
+                    value = self.filter(value, [CssAbsoluteFilter], **options)
+                yield self.handle_output(kind, value, forced=True,
+                                         basename=basename)
             else:
-                if precompiled:
-                    yield self.handle_output(kind, value, forced=True,
-                                             basename=basename)
-                else:
-                    yield self.parser.elem_str(elem)
+                yield self.parser.elem_str(elem)
 
     def filter_output(self, content):
         """
         Passes the concatenated content to the 'output' methods
         of the compressor filters.
         """
-        return self.filter(content, method=METHOD_OUTPUT)
+        return self.filter(content, self.cached_filters, method=METHOD_OUTPUT)
 
     def filter_input(self, forced=False):
         """
@@ -275,8 +280,8 @@ class Compressor(object):
             filename=filename)
         return True, filter.input(**kwargs)
 
-    def filter(self, content, method, **kwargs):
-        for filter_cls in self.cached_filters:
+    def filter(self, content, filters, method, **kwargs):
+        for filter_cls in filters:
             filter_func = getattr(
                 filter_cls(content, filter_type=self.type), method)
             try:
diff --git a/compressor/tests/static/css/relative_url.css b/compressor/tests/static/css/relative_url.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c690cde
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compressor/tests/static/css/relative_url.css
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+p { background: url('../img/python.png'); }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compressor/tests/test_base.py b/compressor/tests/test_base.py
index 108b34d..c96f398 100644
--- a/compressor/tests/test_base.py
+++ b/compressor/tests/test_base.py
@@ -48,9 +48,55 @@ class TestPrecompiler(object):
         return 'OUTPUT'
 
 
+class PassthroughPrecompiler(object):
+    """A filter whose outputs the input unmodified """
+    def __init__(self, content, attrs, filter_type=None, filename=None,
+                 charset=None):
+        self.content = content
+
+    def input(self, **kwargs):
+        return self.content
+
+
 test_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__)))
 
 
+class PrecompilerAndAbsoluteFilterTestCase(SimpleTestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.html_orig = '<link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/css/relative_url.css" type="text/css" />'
+        self.html_link_to_precompiled_css = '<link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/CACHE/css/relative_url.41a74f6d5864.css" type="text/css" />'
+        self.html_link_to_absolutized_css = '<link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/CACHE/css/relative_url.9b8fd415e521.css" type="text/css" />'
+        self.css_orig = "p { background: url('../img/python.png'); }" # content of relative_url.css
+        self.css_absolutized = "p { background: url('/static/img/python.png?c2281c83670e'); }"
+
+    def helper(self, enabled, use_precompiler, use_absolute_filter, expected_output):
+        precompiler = (('text/css', 'compressor.tests.test_base.PassthroughPrecompiler'),) if use_precompiler else ()
+        filters = ('compressor.filters.css_default.CssAbsoluteFilter',) if use_absolute_filter else ()
+
+        with self.settings(COMPRESS_ENABLED=enabled, COMPRESS_PRECOMPILERS=precompiler, COMPRESS_CSS_FILTERS=filters):
+            css_node = CssCompressor(self.html_orig)
+            output = list(css_node.hunks())[0]
+            self.assertEqual(output, expected_output)
+
+    @override_settings(COMPRESS_CSS_HASHING_METHOD="content")
+    def test_precompiler_enables_absolute(self):
+        """
+        Tests whether specifying a precompiler also runs the CssAbsoluteFilter even if
+        compression is disabled, but only if the CssAbsoluteFilter is actually contained
+        in the filters setting.
+        While at it, ensure that everything runs as expected when compression is enabled.
+        """
+        self.helper(enabled=False, use_precompiler=False, use_absolute_filter=False, expected_output=self.html_orig)
+        self.helper(enabled=False, use_precompiler=False, use_absolute_filter=True, expected_output=self.html_orig)
+        self.helper(enabled=False, use_precompiler=True, use_absolute_filter=False, expected_output=self.html_link_to_precompiled_css)
+        self.helper(enabled=False, use_precompiler=True, use_absolute_filter=True, expected_output=self.html_link_to_absolutized_css)
+        self.helper(enabled=True, use_precompiler=False, use_absolute_filter=False, expected_output=self.css_orig)
+        self.helper(enabled=True, use_precompiler=False, use_absolute_filter=True, expected_output=self.css_absolutized)
+        self.helper(enabled=True, use_precompiler=True, use_absolute_filter=False, expected_output=self.css_orig)
+        self.helper(enabled=True, use_precompiler=True, use_absolute_filter=True, expected_output=self.css_absolutized)
+
+
 class CompressorTestCase(SimpleTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):