diff --git a/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/Parseable.java b/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/Parseable.java
index 20ffea42..09536fa1 100644
--- a/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/Parseable.java
+++ b/config/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/Parseable.java
@@ -97,7 +97,14 @@ public abstract class Parseable implements ConfigParseable {
     }
 
     ConfigParseable relativeTo(String filename) {
-        return null;
+        // fall back to classpath; we treat the "filename" as absolute
+        // (don't add a package name in front),
+        // if it starts with "/" then remove the "/", for consistency
+        // with ParseableResources.relativeTo
+        String resource = filename;
+        if (filename.startsWith("/"))
+            resource = filename.substring(1);
+        return newResources(resource, options().setOriginDescription(null));
     }
 
     ConfigIncludeContext includeContext() {
@@ -434,14 +441,7 @@ public abstract class Parseable implements ConfigParseable {
             if (sibling.exists()) {
                 return newFile(sibling, options().setOriginDescription(null));
             } else {
-                // fall back to classpath; we treat the "filename" as absolute
-                // (don't add a package name in front),
-                // if it starts with "/" then remove the "/", for consistency
-                // with ParseableResources.relativeTo
-                String resource = filename;
-                if (filename.startsWith("/"))
-                    resource = filename.substring(1);
-                return newResources(resource, options().setOriginDescription(null));
+                return super.relativeTo(filename);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/config/src/test/scala/com/typesafe/config/impl/PublicApiTest.scala b/config/src/test/scala/com/typesafe/config/impl/PublicApiTest.scala
index 1f31a59d..c7af7f28 100644
--- a/config/src/test/scala/com/typesafe/config/impl/PublicApiTest.scala
+++ b/config/src/test/scala/com/typesafe/config/impl/PublicApiTest.scala
@@ -329,6 +329,14 @@ class PublicApiTest extends TestUtils {
             included.map(_.name))
     }
 
+    @Test
+    def includersAreUsedRecursivelyWithString() {
+        val included = whatWasIncluded(ConfigFactory.parseString(""" include "equiv03/includes.conf" """, _))
+
+        assertEquals(List("equiv03/includes.conf", "letters/a.conf", "numbers/1.conf", "numbers/2", "letters/b.json", "letters/c", "root/foo.conf"),
+            included.map(_.name))
+    }
+
     @Test
     def includersAreUsedWithClasspath() {
         val included = whatWasIncluded(ConfigFactory.parseResources(classOf[PublicApiTest], "/test03.conf", _))