diff --git a/docs/migration-4.md b/docs/migration-4.md
index fb6126e02..8223682bd 100644
--- a/docs/migration-4.md
+++ b/docs/migration-4.md
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ Test files written for 3.x keep working until you flip the flag.
 
 ### `wait*` Methods Resolve Relative URLs
 
-`waitInUrl`, `waitUrlEquals`, and `waitCurrentPathEquals` now resolve a relative path against the helper's configured `url` before comparing. In 3.x a literal substring match against `window.location.href` would fail for relative paths.
+`waitUrlEquals` and `waitCurrentPathEquals` now resolve a relative path against the helper's configured `url` before comparing. In 3.x a literal comparison against `window.location.href` would fail for relative paths.
 
 ```js
 // helpers: { Playwright: { url: 'https://app.example.com' } }
@@ -623,6 +623,8 @@ I.waitUrlEquals('/dashboard')   // matches https://app.example.com/dashboard
 I.waitInUrl('/users')           // matches any URL containing /users
 ```
 
+`waitInUrl` is unchanged from 3.x — it stays a plain substring match against the current URL and never resolves its argument.
+
 `waitUrlEquals` error messages now include the actual URL the page was on when the wait timed out — easier to diagnose `/dashboard` vs `/dashboard?session=expired`.
 
 ## 6. Adopt New Behaviors
diff --git a/lib/helper/Playwright.js b/lib/helper/Playwright.js
index 939988c9a..f93187cca 100644
--- a/lib/helper/Playwright.js
+++ b/lib/helper/Playwright.js
@@ -3423,7 +3423,6 @@ class Playwright extends Helper {
    */
   async waitInUrl(urlPart, sec = null) {
     const waitTimeout = sec ? sec * 1000 : this.options.waitForTimeout
-    const expectedUrl = resolveUrl(urlPart, this.options.url)
 
     return this.page
       .waitForFunction(
@@ -3431,13 +3430,13 @@ class Playwright extends Helper {
           const currUrl = decodeURIComponent(decodeURIComponent(decodeURIComponent(window.location.href)))
           return currUrl.indexOf(urlPart) > -1
         },
-        expectedUrl,
+        urlPart,
         { timeout: waitTimeout },
       )
       .catch(async e => {
         const currUrl = await this._getPageUrl()
         if (/Timeout/i.test(e.message)) {
-          throw new Error(`expected url to include ${expectedUrl}, but found ${currUrl}`)
+          throw new Error(`expected url to include ${urlPart}, but found ${currUrl}`)
         } else {
           throw e
         }
diff --git a/lib/helper/Puppeteer.js b/lib/helper/Puppeteer.js
index ff00f6dd8..26dd1a9e2 100644
--- a/lib/helper/Puppeteer.js
+++ b/lib/helper/Puppeteer.js
@@ -2501,7 +2501,6 @@ class Puppeteer extends Helper {
    */
   async waitInUrl(urlPart, sec = null) {
     const waitTimeout = sec ? sec * 1000 : this.options.waitForTimeout
-    const expectedUrl = resolveUrl(urlPart, this.options.url)
 
     return this.page
       .waitForFunction(
@@ -2510,12 +2509,12 @@ class Puppeteer extends Helper {
           return currUrl.indexOf(urlPart) > -1
         },
         { timeout: waitTimeout },
-        expectedUrl,
+        urlPart,
       )
       .catch(async e => {
         const currUrl = await this._getPageUrl()
         if (/Waiting failed:/i.test(e.message) || /failed: timeout/i.test(e.message)) {
-          throw new Error(`expected url to include ${expectedUrl}, but found ${currUrl}`)
+          throw new Error(`expected url to include ${urlPart}, but found ${currUrl}`)
         } else {
           throw e
         }
diff --git a/lib/helper/WebDriver.js b/lib/helper/WebDriver.js
index 62c0b4dc2..3ae88c127 100644
--- a/lib/helper/WebDriver.js
+++ b/lib/helper/WebDriver.js
@@ -2521,7 +2521,6 @@ class WebDriver extends Helper {
   async waitInUrl(urlPart, sec = null) {
     const client = this.browser
     const aSec = sec || this.options.waitForTimeoutInSeconds
-    const expectedUrl = resolveUrl(urlPart, this.options.url)
     let currUrl = ''
 
     return client
@@ -2529,7 +2528,7 @@ class WebDriver extends Helper {
         function () {
           return this.getUrl().then(res => {
             currUrl = decodeUrl(res)
-            return currUrl.indexOf(expectedUrl) > -1
+            return currUrl.indexOf(urlPart) > -1
           })
         },
         { timeout: aSec * 1000 },
@@ -2537,7 +2536,7 @@ class WebDriver extends Helper {
       .catch(e => {
         e = wrapError(e)
         if (e.message.indexOf('timeout')) {
-          throw new Error(`expected url to include ${expectedUrl}, but found ${currUrl}`)
+          throw new Error(`expected url to include ${urlPart}, but found ${currUrl}`)
         }
         throw e
       })
diff --git a/test/helper/webapi.js b/test/helper/webapi.js
index 40b51c3c3..ea7e146cc 100644
--- a/test/helper/webapi.js
+++ b/test/helper/webapi.js
@@ -151,13 +151,24 @@ export function tests() {
 
   describe('#waitInUrl, #waitUrlEquals', () => {
     it('should wait part of the URL to match the expected', async () => {
+      await I.amOnPage('/info')
+      await I.waitInUrl('/info')
+      await I.waitInUrl(`${siteUrl}/info`)
+
+      let err
       try {
-        await I.amOnPage('/info')
-        await I.waitInUrl('/info')
         await I.waitInUrl('/info2', 0.1)
       } catch (e) {
-        assert.include(e.message, `expected url to include ${siteUrl}/info2, but found ${siteUrl}/info`)
+        err = e
       }
+      assert.isDefined(err, 'expected waitInUrl to time out')
+      assert.include(err.message, `expected url to include /info2, but found ${siteUrl}/info`)
+    })
+
+    it('should match a URL part that is not anchored at the base url', async () => {
+      await I.amOnPage('/info?user=test')
+      await I.waitInUrl('user=test')
+      await I.waitInUrl('/info?user=test')
     })
 
     it('should wait for the entire URL to match the expected', async () => {