diff --git a/lib/private/copy_common.bzl b/lib/private/copy_common.bzl
index ac2a7b0..aedb04a 100644
--- a/lib/private/copy_common.bzl
+++ b/lib/private/copy_common.bzl
@@ -57,3 +57,15 @@ COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS = {
     "no-sandbox": "1",
     "local": "1",
 }
+
+def progress_path(f):
+    """
+    Convert a file to an appropriate string to display in an action progress message.
+
+    Args:
+        f: a file to show as a path in a progress message
+
+    Returns:
+        The path formatted for use in a progress message
+    """
+    return f.short_path.removeprefix("../")
diff --git a/lib/private/copy_directory.bzl b/lib/private/copy_directory.bzl
index c947213..790a66d 100644
--- a/lib/private/copy_directory.bzl
+++ b/lib/private/copy_directory.bzl
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ This rule copies a directory to another location using Bash (on Linux/macOS) or
 cmd.exe (on Windows).
 """
 
-load(":copy_common.bzl", _COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS = "COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS")
+load(":copy_common.bzl", _COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS = "COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS", _progress_path = "progress_path")
 load(":platform_utils.bzl", _platform_utils = "platform_utils")
 
 def _copy_cmd(ctx, src, dst):
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def _copy_cmd(ctx, src, dst):
     # NB: robocopy return non-zero exit codes on success so we must exit 0 after calling it
     cmd_tmpl = "@robocopy \"{src}\" \"{dst}\" /E >NUL & @exit 0"
     mnemonic = "CopyDirectory"
-    progress_message = "Copying directory %{input}"
+    progress_message = "Copying directory %s" % _progress_path(src)
 
     ctx.actions.write(
         output = bat,
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def _copy_cmd(ctx, src, dst):
 def _copy_bash(ctx, src, dst):
     cmd = "rm -Rf \"$2\" && cp -fR \"$1/\" \"$2\""
     mnemonic = "CopyDirectory"
-    progress_message = "Copying directory %{input}"
+    progress_message = "Copying directory %s" % _progress_path(src)
 
     ctx.actions.run_shell(
         tools = [src],
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ def copy_directory_bin_action(
         executable = copy_directory_bin,
         arguments = args,
         mnemonic = "CopyDirectory",
-        progress_message = "Copying directory %{input}",
+        progress_message = "Copying directory %s" % _progress_path(src),
         execution_requirements = _COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS,
     )
 
diff --git a/lib/private/copy_file.bzl b/lib/private/copy_file.bzl
index 06fb9d5..76c36a1 100644
--- a/lib/private/copy_file.bzl
+++ b/lib/private/copy_file.bzl
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ cmd.exe (on Windows). `_copy_xfile` marks the resulting file executable,
 `_copy_file` does not.
 """
 
-load(":copy_common.bzl", _COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS = "COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS")
+load(":copy_common.bzl", _COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS = "COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS", _progress_path = "progress_path")
 load(":directory_path.bzl", "DirectoryPathInfo")
 load(":platform_utils.bzl", _platform_utils = "platform_utils")
 
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def _copy_cmd(ctx, src, src_path, dst):
     # https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/copy
     cmd_tmpl = "@copy /Y \"{src}\" \"{dst}\" >NUL"
     mnemonic = "CopyFile"
-    progress_message = "Copying file %{input}"
+    progress_message = "Copying file %s" % _progress_path(src)
 
     ctx.actions.write(
         output = bat,
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def _copy_cmd(ctx, src, src_path, dst):
 def _copy_bash(ctx, src, src_path, dst):
     cmd_tmpl = "cp -f \"$1\" \"$2\""
     mnemonic = "CopyFile"
-    progress_message = "Copying file %{input}"
+    progress_message = "Copying file %s" % _progress_path(src)
 
     ctx.actions.run_shell(
         tools = [src],
diff --git a/lib/private/copy_to_directory.bzl b/lib/private/copy_to_directory.bzl
index 63fe9c2..0c3b6c5 100644
--- a/lib/private/copy_to_directory.bzl
+++ b/lib/private/copy_to_directory.bzl
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 "copy_to_directory implementation"
 
 load("@bazel_skylib//lib:paths.bzl", skylib_paths = "paths")
-load(":copy_common.bzl", _COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS = "COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS")
+load(":copy_common.bzl", _COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS = "COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS", _progress_path = "progress_path")
 load(":paths.bzl", "paths")
 load(":directory_path.bzl", "DirectoryPathInfo")
 load(":glob_match.bzl", "glob_match", "is_glob")
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ fi
         outputs = [dst_dir],
         command = "\n".join(cmds),
         mnemonic = "CopyToDirectory",
-        progress_message = "Copying files to directory",
+        progress_message = "Copying files to directory %s" % _progress_path(dst_dir),
         use_default_shell_env = True,
         execution_requirements = _COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS,
     )
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ if exist "{src}\\*" (
         executable = "cmd.exe",
         arguments = ["/C", bat.path.replace("/", "\\")],
         mnemonic = "CopyToDirectory",
-        progress_message = "Copying files to directory",
+        progress_message = "Copying files to directory %s" % _progress_path(dst_dir),
         use_default_shell_env = True,
         execution_requirements = _COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS,
     )
@@ -838,7 +838,7 @@ def copy_to_directory_bin_action(
         executable = copy_to_directory_bin,
         arguments = [config_file.path],
         mnemonic = "CopyToDirectory",
-        progress_message = "Copying files to directory",
+        progress_message = "Copying files to directory %s" % _progress_path(dst),
         execution_requirements = _COPY_EXECUTION_REQUIREMENTS,
     )