diff --git a/src/globals.cc b/src/globals.cc
index bbbd8d8d..5d55d0b5 100644
--- a/src/globals.cc
+++ b/src/globals.cc
@@ -2,6 +2,28 @@
 
 #include "globals.h"
 
+#include <torrent/exceptions.h>
+
 rpc::ip_table_list ip_tables;
 
 Control*           control{};
+
+std::string
+expand_path(const std::string& path) {
+  if (path.empty())
+    return std::string();
+
+  if (path[0] == '~') {
+    if (path.size() < 2 || path[1] != '/')
+      throw torrent::input_error("Could not expand ~ in session path, only ~/<path> is supported.");
+
+    const char* home = std::getenv("HOME");
+
+    if (home == nullptr || *home == '\0')
+      throw torrent::input_error("Could not expand ~ in session path, HOME environment variable not set.");
+
+    return home + path.substr(1);
+  }
+
+  return path;
+}
diff --git a/src/globals.h b/src/globals.h
index 86db4f75..1bd42a9f 100644
--- a/src/globals.h
+++ b/src/globals.h
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@
 class Control;
 
 extern rpc::ip_table_list ip_tables;
+extern Control*           control;
 
-extern Control*      control;
+std::string expand_path(const std::string& path);
 
 namespace rpc {
 class SCgi;
diff --git a/src/session/session_manager.cc b/src/session/session_manager.cc
index f95f728c..1e69e2f0 100644
--- a/src/session/session_manager.cc
+++ b/src/session/session_manager.cc
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "session/session_manager.h"
 
 #include <cassert>
+#include <cstdlib>
 #include <torrent/exceptions.h>
 #include <torrent/utils/log.h>
 
@@ -23,12 +24,14 @@ SessionManager::SessionManager(torrent::utils::Thread* thread)
 SessionManager::~SessionManager() = default;
 
 void
-SessionManager::set_path(const std::string& path) {
+SessionManager::set_path(std::string path) {
   assert(torrent::this_thread::thread() == torrent::main_thread::thread());
 
   if (m_freeze_info)
     throw torrent::input_error("Session path cannot be changed after startup.");
 
+  path = expand_path(path);
+
   if (path.empty() || path.back() == '/')
     m_path = path;
   else
diff --git a/src/session/session_manager.h b/src/session/session_manager.h
index 82c4d1bc..1d9eb9d2 100644
--- a/src/session/session_manager.h
+++ b/src/session/session_manager.h
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ public:
   bool                is_used() const;
 
   std::string         path() const;
-  void                set_path(const std::string& path);
+  void                set_path(std::string path);
 
   bool                use_fsyncdisk() const;
   void                set_use_fsyncdisk(bool use_fsyncdisk);