diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 23ab53eaf..e377c841e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+-   Fixed `Path` variables in EmpireConfig not properly expanding `~` (@Vinnybod)
+
 ## [5.8.3] - 2023-12-15
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/empire/server/core/config.py b/empire/server/core/config.py
index 79f6fabe7..3c7045434 100644
--- a/empire/server/core/config.py
+++ b/empire/server/core/config.py
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
 
 
 class EmpireBaseModel(BaseModel):
-    @classmethod
     @field_validator("*")
+    @classmethod
     def set_path(cls, v):
         if isinstance(v, Path):
             return v.expanduser().resolve()
diff --git a/empire/test/conftest.py b/empire/test/conftest.py
index 9bae10299..3300a3c9a 100644
--- a/empire/test/conftest.py
+++ b/empire/test/conftest.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
+import yaml
 from starlette.testclient import TestClient
 
 from empire.client.src.utils.data_util import get_random_string
@@ -442,3 +443,9 @@ def client_config_dict():
         config_dict = yaml.safe_load(f)
 
     yield config_dict
+
+
+def load_test_config():
+    with open(SERVER_CONFIG_LOC) as f:
+        loaded = yaml.safe_load(f)
+    return loaded
diff --git a/empire/test/test_config.py b/empire/test/test_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..84a06ad14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/empire/test/test_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from empire.server.core.config import EmpireConfig
+from empire.test.conftest import load_test_config
+
+
+def test_config_resolves_path():
+    server_config_dict = load_test_config()
+    server_config_dict["directories"]["downloads"] = "~/.empire/server/downloads"
+    empire_config = EmpireConfig(server_config_dict)
+    assert isinstance(empire_config.directories.downloads, Path)
+    assert not str(empire_config.directories.downloads).startswith("~")
diff --git a/empire/test/test_logs.py b/empire/test/test_logs.py
index 45bd4d46a..fa8b654e0 100644
--- a/empire/test/test_logs.py
+++ b/empire/test/test_logs.py
@@ -4,9 +4,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
-import yaml
-
-from empire.test.conftest import SERVER_CONFIG_LOC
+from empire.test.conftest import SERVER_CONFIG_LOC, load_test_config
 
 
 def test_simple_log_format(monkeypatch):
@@ -43,7 +41,7 @@ def test_extended_log_format(monkeypatch):
     from empire.server.server import setup_logging
     from empire.server.utils.log_util import LOG_FORMAT, ColorFormatter
 
-    test_config = _load_test_config()
+    test_config = load_test_config()
     test_config["logging"]["simple_console"] = False
     modified_config = EmpireConfig(test_config)
     monkeypatch.setattr("empire.server.server.empire_config", modified_config)
@@ -70,7 +68,7 @@ def test_log_level_by_config(monkeypatch):
     from empire.server.core.config import EmpireConfig
     from empire.server.server import setup_logging
 
-    test_config = _load_test_config()
+    test_config = load_test_config()
     test_config["logging"]["level"] = "WaRNiNG"  # case insensitive
     modified_config = EmpireConfig(test_config)
     monkeypatch.setattr("empire.server.server.empire_config", modified_config)
@@ -101,7 +99,7 @@ def test_log_level_by_arg():
     from empire.server.server import setup_logging
 
     config_mock = MagicMock()
-    test_config = _load_test_config()
+    test_config = load_test_config()
     test_config["logging"]["level"] = "WaRNiNG"  # Should be overwritten by arg
     config_mock.yaml = test_config
 
@@ -124,7 +122,7 @@ def test_log_level_by_debug_arg():
     from empire.server.server import setup_logging
 
     config_mock = MagicMock()
-    test_config = _load_test_config()
+    test_config = load_test_config()
     test_config["logging"]["level"] = "WaRNiNG"  # Should be overwritten by arg
     config_mock.yaml = test_config
 
@@ -132,9 +130,3 @@ def test_log_level_by_debug_arg():
     setup_logging(args)
 
     assert logging.getLogger().level == logging.DEBUG
-
-
-def _load_test_config():
-    with open(SERVER_CONFIG_LOC) as f:
-        loaded = yaml.safe_load(f)
-    return loaded