diff --git a/python/damask/_colormap.py b/python/damask/_colormap.py
index 005cf80d6..83e092c19 100644
--- a/python/damask/_colormap.py
+++ b/python/damask/_colormap.py
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ class Colormap(mpl.colors.ListedColormap):
         if fname is None:
             return open(self.name.replace(' ','_')+suffix, 'w', newline='\n')
         elif isinstance(fname, (str, Path)):
-            return open(fname, 'w', newline='\n')
+            return open(Path(fname).expanduser(), 'w', newline='\n')
         else:
             return fname
 
diff --git a/python/damask/_result.py b/python/damask/_result.py
index fc98e4dac..6d0bf2ac3 100644
--- a/python/damask/_result.py
+++ b/python/damask/_result.py
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class Result:
                         'fields':          self.fields,
                        }
 
-        self.fname = Path(fname).absolute()
+        self.fname = Path(fname).expanduser().absolute()
 
         self._protected = True
 
diff --git a/python/damask/_vtk.py b/python/damask/_vtk.py
index d32751e8d..c7a9dd47f 100644
--- a/python/damask/_vtk.py
+++ b/python/damask/_vtk.py
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ class VTK:
             raise FileNotFoundError(f'No such file: {fname}')
         if (ext := Path(fname).suffix) == '.vtk' or dataset_type is not None:
             reader = vtk.vtkGenericDataObjectReader()
-            reader.SetFileName(str(fname))
+            reader.SetFileName(str(Path(fname).expanduser()))
             if dataset_type is None:
                 raise TypeError('Dataset type for *.vtk file not given')
             elif dataset_type.lower().endswith(('imagedata','image_data')):
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ class VTK:
             else:
                 raise TypeError(f'Unknown file extension "{ext}"')
 
-            reader.SetFileName(str(fname))
+            reader.SetFileName(str(Path(fname).expanduser()))
             reader.Update()
             vtk_data = reader.GetOutput()
 
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ class VTK:
 
         default_ext = '.'+writer.GetDefaultFileExtension()
         ext = Path(fname).suffix
-        writer.SetFileName(str(fname)+(default_ext if default_ext != ext else ''))
+        writer.SetFileName(str(Path(fname).expanduser())+(default_ext if default_ext != ext else ''))
 
         if compress:
             writer.SetCompressorTypeToZLib()