diff --git a/cmd/syncthing/main.go b/cmd/syncthing/main.go
index bef650ed2..6546d8431 100644
--- a/cmd/syncthing/main.go
+++ b/cmd/syncthing/main.go
@@ -695,6 +695,7 @@ func expandTilde(p string) string {
 		return getHomeDir()
 	}
 
+	p = filepath.FromSlash(p)
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(p, fmt.Sprintf("~%c", os.PathSeparator)) {
 		return p
 	}