diff --git a/runtime/doc/options.txt b/runtime/doc/options.txt
index a5e3d3d686..4878484f7d 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/options.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/options.txt
@@ -4806,7 +4806,6 @@ A jump table for the options with a short description can be found at |Q_op|.
 				*'path'* *'pa'* *E343* *E345* *E347* *E854*
 'path' 'pa'		string	(default ".,,")
 			global or local to buffer |global-local|
-			Disallowed in |modeline|. |no-modeline-option|
 	This is a list of directories which will be searched when using the
 	|gf|, [f, ]f, ^Wf, |:find|, |:sfind|, |:tabfind| and other commands,
 	provided that the file being searched for has a relative path (not
diff --git a/src/nvim/options.lua b/src/nvim/options.lua
index 003f2aebd4..f9ed8c0480 100644
--- a/src/nvim/options.lua
+++ b/src/nvim/options.lua
@@ -6556,7 +6556,6 @@ local options = {
       full_name = 'path',
       list = 'comma',
       scope = { 'global', 'buf' },
-      secure = true,
       short_desc = N_('list of directories searched with "gf" et.al.'),
       tags = { 'E343', 'E345', 'E347', 'E854' },
       type = 'string',
diff --git a/test/old/testdir/test_find_complete.vim b/test/old/testdir/test_find_complete.vim
index 8b8b71c303..ee36725d5f 100644
--- a/test/old/testdir/test_find_complete.vim
+++ b/test/old/testdir/test_find_complete.vim
@@ -165,9 +165,15 @@ endfunc
 func Test_find_completion_backtick_in_path()
   CheckUnix
   CheckExecutable id
+  set modeline "nomodelinestrict
 
+  let lines =<< trim END
+    // vim: set path+=`id>Xrce_marker` :
+  END
+
+  call writefile(lines, 'Xpoc.c', 'D')
   new Xpoc.c
-  setl path+=`id>Xrce_marker`
+  call assert_match('`id>Xrce_marker`', &path)
   " Triggering completion must not execute the backtick command.
   call getcompletion('', 'file_in_path')
   call assert_false(filereadable('Xrce_marker'))
@@ -176,6 +182,7 @@ func Test_find_completion_backtick_in_path()
 
   bwipe!
   call delete('Xrce_marker')
+  set modeline& "modelinestrict&
 endfunc
 
 " vim: shiftwidth=2 sts=2 expandtab
diff --git a/test/old/testdir/test_modeline.vim b/test/old/testdir/test_modeline.vim
index 0a0594d63d..3c6dd6bc85 100644
--- a/test/old/testdir/test_modeline.vim
+++ b/test/old/testdir/test_modeline.vim
@@ -559,18 +559,4 @@ func Test_modeline_nowrap_lcs_extends()
   set equalalways&
 endfunc
 
-" Verify that backticks in 'path' set from a modeline are not executed
-func Test_path_modeline()
-  let lines =<< trim END
-    // vim: set path+=foobar :
-  END
-  call writefile(lines, 'Xpoc.c', 'D')
-
-  set nomodelinestrict modeline
-  call assert_fails('split Xpoc.c', 'E520:')
-
-  bwipe!
-  set modelinestrict& modeline&
-endfunc
-
 " vim: shiftwidth=2 sts=2 expandtab