diff --git a/lib/core/src/server/presets.js b/lib/core/src/server/presets.js
index cbd531c32cfb..2029437e07d9 100644
--- a/lib/core/src/server/presets.js
+++ b/lib/core/src/server/presets.js
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ const isObject = val => val != null && typeof val === 'object' && Array.isArray(
 const isFunction = val => typeof val === 'function';
 
 // Copied out of parse-package-name
+//  '@storybook/addon-actions/register' => ( name: '@storybook/addon-actions', path: '/register )
+//  './addon-actions/register' => ( name: './addon-actions/register', path:  './addon-actions/register'  )
 const RE_SCOPED = /^(@[^/]+\/[^/@]+)(?:\/([^@]+))?(?:@([\s\S]+))?/;
 const RE_NORMAL = /^([^/@]+)(?:\/([^@]+))?(?:@([\s\S]+))?/;
 function parsePackageName(input) {
@@ -38,6 +40,8 @@ const resolvePresetFunction = (input, presetOptions, storybookOptions) => {
   return [];
 };
 
+const isLocalFileImport = packageName => /^[./]/.test(packageName);
+
 /**
  * Parse an addon into either a managerEntry or a preset. Throw on invalid input.
  *
@@ -55,14 +59,19 @@ const resolvePresetFunction = (input, presetOptions, storybookOptions) => {
  *   =>  { type: 'presets', item: { name: '@storybook/addon-docs/preset', options } }
  */
 export const resolveAddonName = name => {
-  const { path } = parsePackageName(name);
+  let path;
+  if (isLocalFileImport(name)) {
+    path = name;
+  } else {
+    ({ path } = parsePackageName(name));
+  }
 
   // when user provides full path, we don't need to do anything
   if (path) {
     return {
       name,
-      // Accept `register`, `register.js`, `require.resolve('foo/register') cases
-      type: path.match(/register(.js)?$/) ? 'managerEntries' : 'presets',
+      // Accept `register`, `register.js`, `require.resolve('foo/register'), `register_panel`
+      type: path.match(/register(_panel)?(.js)?$/) ? 'managerEntries' : 'presets',
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/core/src/server/presets.test.js b/lib/core/src/server/presets.test.js
index 84df049c634a..85d2c44851d8 100644
--- a/lib/core/src/server/presets.test.js
+++ b/lib/core/src/server/presets.test.js
@@ -389,6 +389,7 @@ describe('splitAddons', () => {
       '@storybook/addon-actions/register',
       'storybook-addon-readme/register',
       'addon-foo/register.js',
+      '@storybook/addon-notes/register_panel',
     ];
     expect(splitAddons(addons)).toEqual({
       managerEntries: addons,
@@ -401,6 +402,8 @@ describe('splitAddons', () => {
       '@storybook/addon-essentials',
       '@storybook/addon-docs/presets',
       'addon-bar/presets.js',
+      './local-addon-relative/presets',
+      '/local-addon-absolute/presets',
     ];
     expect(splitAddons(addons)).toEqual({
       managerEntries: [],