diff --git a/python/slsdet/detector.py b/python/slsdet/detector.py
index bfbaa52fb..39dab3d70 100755
--- a/python/slsdet/detector.py
+++ b/python/slsdet/detector.py
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ class Detector(CppDetectorApi):
 
     @config.setter
     def config(self, fname):
+        fname = ut.make_string_path(fname)
         self.loadConfig(fname)
 
     @property
@@ -119,6 +120,7 @@ class Detector(CppDetectorApi):
 
     @parameters.setter
     def parameters(self, fname):
+        fname = ut.make_string_path(fname)
         self.loadParameters(fname)
 
     @property
@@ -359,6 +361,7 @@ class Detector(CppDetectorApi):
 
     @fpath.setter
     def fpath(self, path):
+        path = ut.make_string_path(path)
         self.setFilePath(path)
 
     @property
@@ -589,6 +592,7 @@ class Detector(CppDetectorApi):
 
     @trimbits.setter
     def trimbits(self, fname):
+        fname = ut.make_string_path(fname)
         self.loadTrimbits(fname)
 
     @property
@@ -1040,6 +1044,7 @@ class Detector(CppDetectorApi):
 
     @pattern.setter
     def pattern(self, fname):
+        fname = ut.make_string_path(fname)
         self.setPattern(fname)
 
     @property
diff --git a/python/slsdet/utils.py b/python/slsdet/utils.py
index 405ad6230..e9230f0bd 100755
--- a/python/slsdet/utils.py
+++ b/python/slsdet/utils.py
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ from collections import namedtuple
 import _slsdet #C++ lib
 import functools
 import datetime as dt
+import pathlib
+import os
 
 Geometry = namedtuple('Geometry', ['x', 'y'])
 
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ def element(func):
         return element_if_equal(func(self, *args, **kwargs))
     return wrapper
 
+
 def eiger_register_to_time(register):
     """
     Decode register value and return time in s. Values are stored in
@@ -93,3 +96,15 @@ def make_timedelta(t):
            return t
     else:
         return dt.timedelta(seconds=t)
+
+def make_string_path(path):
+    """
+    Accepts either a pathlib.Path or a string, expands ~ to user and convert
+    Path to str
+    """
+    if isinstance(path, pathlib.Path):
+        return path.expanduser().as_posix()
+    elif isinstance(path, str):
+        return os.path.expanduser(path)
+    else:
+        raise ValueError("Cannot convert argument to posix path")
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/python/unit-tests/__pycache__/dac_test.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc b/python/tests/__pycache__/dac_test.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc
similarity index 100%
rename from python/unit-tests/__pycache__/dac_test.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc
rename to python/tests/__pycache__/dac_test.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc
diff --git a/python/unit-tests/__pycache__/detector_test.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc b/python/tests/__pycache__/detector_test.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc
similarity index 100%
rename from python/unit-tests/__pycache__/detector_test.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc
rename to python/tests/__pycache__/detector_test.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc
diff --git a/python/unit-tests/__pycache__/test_detector_property.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc b/python/tests/__pycache__/test_detector_property.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc
similarity index 100%
rename from python/unit-tests/__pycache__/test_detector_property.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc
rename to python/tests/__pycache__/test_detector_property.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc
diff --git a/python/unit-tests/__pycache__/test_utils.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc b/python/tests/__pycache__/test_utils.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc
similarity index 100%
rename from python/unit-tests/__pycache__/test_utils.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc
rename to python/tests/__pycache__/test_utils.cpython-37-PYTEST.pyc
diff --git a/python/unit-tests/dac_test.py b/python/tests/dac_test.py
similarity index 100%
rename from python/unit-tests/dac_test.py
rename to python/tests/dac_test.py
diff --git a/python/unit-tests/detector_eiger.py b/python/tests/detector_eiger.py
similarity index 100%
rename from python/unit-tests/detector_eiger.py
rename to python/tests/detector_eiger.py
diff --git a/python/unit-tests/detector_test.py b/python/tests/detector_test.py
similarity index 100%
rename from python/unit-tests/detector_test.py
rename to python/tests/detector_test.py
diff --git a/python/unit-tests/test_detector_property.py b/python/tests/test_detector_property.py
similarity index 100%
rename from python/unit-tests/test_detector_property.py
rename to python/tests/test_detector_property.py
diff --git a/python/unit-tests/test_utils.py b/python/tests/test_utils.py
similarity index 81%
rename from python/unit-tests/test_utils.py
rename to python/tests/test_utils.py
index 5850aa4a4..862e7b463 100755
--- a/python/unit-tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ Testing functions from utils.py
 import pytest
 from slsdet.utils import *
 import datetime as dt
+import pathlib
 
 def test_iterable():
     assert is_iterable(5) == False
@@ -93,4 +94,23 @@ def test_make_timedelta_from_timedelta():
     t = dt.timedelta(minutes=1)
     r = make_timedelta(t)
     assert 60 == r.total_seconds()
-    assert r == dt.timedelta(minutes=1)
\ No newline at end of file
+    assert r == dt.timedelta(minutes=1)
+
+
+def test_make_string_path_from_Path():
+    pathstr = "/some/temp/path"
+    p = pathlib.Path(pathstr)
+    r = make_string_path(p)
+    assert isinstance(r, str)
+    assert r == p.as_posix()
+    assert r == pathstr
+
+def test_make_string_path_expand_user():
+    pathstr = "~/tmp/virtual.config"
+    home = pathlib.Path.home()
+    expanded_str = pathstr.replace('~', home.as_posix())
+    p = pathlib.Path(pathstr)
+    rp = make_string_path(p)
+    rs = make_string_path(pathstr)
+    assert rp == expanded_str
+    assert rs == expanded_str
\ No newline at end of file