Index: django/core/management/commands/loaddata.py
===================================================================
--- django/core/management/commands/loaddata.py	(revision 7027)
+++ django/core/management/commands/loaddata.py	(working copy)
@@ -65,7 +65,12 @@
                 else:
                     print "Skipping fixture '%s': %s is not a known serialization format" % (fixture_name, format)
 
-            for fixture_dir in app_fixtures + list(settings.FIXTURE_DIRS) + ['']:
+            if os.path.isabs(fixture_name):
+                fixture_dirs = [fixture_name]
+            else:
+                fixture_dirs = app_fixtures + list(settings.FIXTURE_DIRS) + ['']
+
+            for fixture_dir in fixture_dirs:
                 if verbosity > 1:
                     print "Checking %s for fixtures..." % humanize(fixture_dir)
 
Index: tests/regressiontests/fixtures_regress/fixtures/absolute.json
===================================================================
--- tests/regressiontests/fixtures_regress/fixtures/absolute.json	(revision 0)
+++ tests/regressiontests/fixtures_regress/fixtures/absolute.json	(revision 0)
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[
+    {
+        "pk": "1", 
+        "model": "fixtures_regress.absolute", 
+        "fields": {
+            "name": "Load Absolute Path Test"
+        }
+    }
+]
Index: tests/regressiontests/fixtures_regress/models.py
===================================================================
--- tests/regressiontests/fixtures_regress/models.py	(revision 7027)
+++ tests/regressiontests/fixtures_regress/models.py	(working copy)
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from django.db import models
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.conf import settings
+import os
 
 class Animal(models.Model):
     name = models.CharField(max_length=150)
@@ -28,6 +29,17 @@
             name = None
         return unicode(name) + u' is owned by ' + unicode(self.owner)
 
+class Absolute(models.Model):
+
+    name = models.CharField(max_length=40)
+
+    load_count = 0
+
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(Absolute, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        Absolute.load_count += 1
+
+
 __test__ = {'API_TESTS':"""
 >>> from django.core import management
 
@@ -49,4 +61,12 @@
 >>> Stuff.objects.all()
 [<Stuff: None is owned by None>]
 
+###############################################
+# Regression test for ticket #6436 -- loading fixtures from absolute paths
+
+>>> load_absolute_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'fixtures', 'absolute.json')
+>>> management.call_command('loaddata', load_absolute_path, verbosity=0)
+>>> Absolute.load_count
+1
+
 """}