diff --git a/contrib/book.py b/contrib/book.py
index 3c199b8..1cf9b79 100644
--- a/contrib/book.py
+++ b/contrib/book.py
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def assemble(root):
     if clash := sorted(name for name in pages if name.casefold() in reserved):
         raise ValueError(f"generated by book.py: {', '.join(clash)}")
     generated = {
-        "README.md": (root / "README.md").read_text(),
+        "README.md": re.sub(r"(?<=\]\()docs/", "", (root / "README.md").read_text()),
         "SUMMARY.md": summary(index, pages),
         CONTENTS: contents(index),
     }
diff --git a/contrib/test_book.py b/contrib/test_book.py
index 0454251..25f5c09 100644
--- a/contrib/test_book.py
+++ b/contrib/test_book.py
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ def test_assembly_covers_every_chapter(tmp_path):
         "one.md",
         "sub/two.md",
     ]
-    assert (out / "README.md").read_text() == "# Intro\n\nSee [one](docs/one.md).\n"
+    assert (out / "README.md").read_text() == "# Intro\n\nSee [one](one.md).\n"
     contents = (out / "contents.md").read_text()
     assert "* [Two](sub/two.md) - The second chapter." in contents
     assert (out / "one.md").read_text() == "# One\n"