diff --git a/cmd/lncli/main.go b/cmd/lncli/main.go
index 6dbff198..85d0f7ad 100644
--- a/cmd/lncli/main.go
+++ b/cmd/lncli/main.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
+	"os/user"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -236,7 +237,15 @@ func main() {
 func cleanAndExpandPath(path string) string {
 	// Expand initial ~ to OS specific home directory.
 	if strings.HasPrefix(path, "~") {
-		homeDir := filepath.Dir(defaultLndDir)
+		var homeDir string
+
+		user, err := user.Current()
+		if err == nil {
+			homeDir = user.HomeDir
+		} else {
+			homeDir = os.Getenv("HOME")
+		}
+
 		path = strings.Replace(path, "~", homeDir, 1)
 	}
 
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 07dfa8ac..5030b552 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net"
 	"os"
+	"os/user"
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
@@ -609,7 +610,15 @@ func loadConfig() (*config, error) {
 func cleanAndExpandPath(path string) string {
 	// Expand initial ~ to OS specific home directory.
 	if strings.HasPrefix(path, "~") {
-		homeDir := filepath.Dir(defaultLndDir)
+		var homeDir string
+
+		user, err := user.Current()
+		if err == nil {
+			homeDir = user.HomeDir
+		} else {
+			homeDir = os.Getenv("HOME")
+		}
+
 		path = strings.Replace(path, "~", homeDir, 1)
 	}