diff --git a/dvc/exceptions.py b/dvc/exceptions.py
index e5fb6f00d..1ced27032 100644
--- a/dvc/exceptions.py
+++ b/dvc/exceptions.py
@@ -268,6 +268,15 @@ class FileMissingError(DvcException):
         )
 
 
+class NoAbsolutePathError(DvcException):
+    def __init__(self, path, cause=None):
+        super(NoAbsolutePathError, self).__init__(
+            "The path '{}' is an absolute path. ".format(path)
+            + "Provide a relative path.",
+            cause=cause,
+        )
+
+
 class DvcIgnoreInCollectedDirError(DvcException):
     def __init__(self, ignore_dirname):
         super(DvcIgnoreInCollectedDirError, self).__init__(
diff --git a/dvc/repo/get.py b/dvc/repo/get.py
index ee4765678..bb2482302 100644
--- a/dvc/repo/get.py
+++ b/dvc/repo/get.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from dvc.exceptions import GetDVCFileError
 from dvc.exceptions import NotDvcRepoError
 from dvc.exceptions import OutputNotFoundError
 from dvc.exceptions import UrlNotDvcRepoError
+from dvc.exceptions import NoAbsolutePathError
 from dvc.external_repo import external_repo
 from dvc.path_info import PathInfo
 from dvc.stage import Stage
@@ -20,6 +21,9 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 @staticmethod
 def get(url, path, out=None, rev=None):
+    if os.path.isabs(path):
+        raise NoAbsolutePathError(path)
+
     out = resolve_output(path, out)
 
     if Stage.is_valid_filename(out):
diff --git a/tests/func/test_get.py b/tests/func/test_get.py
index f8143fc34..ce0a7ab42 100644
--- a/tests/func/test_get.py
+++ b/tests/func/test_get.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import pytest
 from dvc.config import Config
 from dvc.exceptions import GetDVCFileError
 from dvc.exceptions import UrlNotDvcRepoError
+from dvc.exceptions import NoAbsolutePathError
 from dvc.repo import Repo
 from dvc.system import System
 from dvc.utils import makedirs
@@ -106,6 +107,13 @@ def test_get_a_dvc_file(erepo):
         Repo.get(erepo.root_dir, "some_file.dvc")
 
 
+# Prevent `Repo.get()` from copying any file on the filesystem
+# https://github.com/iterative/dvc/pull/2837#discussion_r352123053
+def test_fails_with_absolute_paths(erepo):
+    with pytest.raises(NoAbsolutePathError):
+        Repo.get(erepo.root_dir, "/root/")
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("dname", [".", "dir", "dir/subdir"])
 def test_get_to_dir(dname, erepo):
     src = erepo.FOO