diff --git a/cmd/swarm/config.go b/cmd/swarm/config.go
index ae4b5816e6..c2f885d252 100644
--- a/cmd/swarm/config.go
+++ b/cmd/swarm/config.go
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func initSwarmNode(config *bzzapi.Config, stack *node.Node, ctx *cli.Context) {
 	//get the account for the provided swarm account
 	prvkey := getAccount(config.BzzAccount, ctx, stack)
 	//set the resolved config path (geth --datadir)
-	config.Path = stack.InstanceDir()
+	config.Path = expandPath(stack.InstanceDir())
 	//finally, initialize the configuration
 	config.Init(prvkey)
 	//configuration phase completed here
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ func cmdLineOverride(currentConfig *bzzapi.Config, ctx *cli.Context) *bzzapi.Con
 
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(utils.DataDirFlag.Name) {
 		if datadir := ctx.GlobalString(utils.DataDirFlag.Name); datadir != "" {
-			currentConfig.Path = datadir
+			currentConfig.Path = expandPath(datadir)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -226,6 +226,10 @@ func cmdLineOverride(currentConfig *bzzapi.Config, ctx *cli.Context) *bzzapi.Con
 		if len(ensAPIs) == 1 && ensAPIs[0] == "" {
 			ensAPIs = nil
 		}
+		for i := range ensAPIs {
+			ensAPIs[i] = expandPath(ensAPIs[i])
+		}
+
 		currentConfig.EnsAPIs = ensAPIs
 	}
 
@@ -268,7 +272,7 @@ func envVarsOverride(currentConfig *bzzapi.Config) (config *bzzapi.Config) {
 	}
 
 	if datadir := os.Getenv(GETH_ENV_DATADIR); datadir != "" {
-		currentConfig.Path = datadir
+		currentConfig.Path = expandPath(datadir)
 	}
 
 	bzzport := os.Getenv(SWARM_ENV_PORT)
diff --git a/cmd/swarm/upload.go b/cmd/swarm/upload.go
index 9eae2a3f80..f76cb1b984 100644
--- a/cmd/swarm/upload.go
+++ b/cmd/swarm/upload.go
@@ -138,6 +138,12 @@ func upload(ctx *cli.Context) {
 // 3. cleans the path, e.g. /a/b/../c -> /a/c
 // Note, it has limitations, e.g. ~someuser/tmp will not be expanded
 func expandPath(p string) string {
+	if i := strings.Index(p, ":"); i > 0 {
+		return p
+	}
+	if i := strings.Index(p, "@"); i > 0 {
+		return p
+	}
 	if strings.HasPrefix(p, "~/") || strings.HasPrefix(p, "~\\") {
 		if home := homeDir(); home != "" {
 			p = home + p[1:]