diff --git a/library/copy b/library/copy
index fecfeeafac..ef6c30a6b6 100755
--- a/library/copy
+++ b/library/copy
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ for x in items:
     (k, v) = x.split("=")
     params[k] = v
 
-src  = params['src']
-dest = params['dest']
+src  = os.path.expanduser(params['src'])
+dest = os.path.expanduser(params['dest'])
 
  
 # raise an error if there is no src file
diff --git a/library/file b/library/file
index 742a7d7b22..2922c3d080 100755
--- a/library/file
+++ b/library/file
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ for x in items:
     params[k] = v
 
 state     = params.get('state','file')
-path      = params.get('path', params.get('dest', params.get('name', None)))
-src       = params.get('src', None)
+path      = os.path.expanduser(params.get('path', params.get('dest', params.get('name', None))))
+src       = os.path.expanduser(params.get('src', None))
 dest      = params.get('dest', None)
 mode      = params.get('mode', None)
 owner     = params.get('owner', None)