- return _config_get (config, &config->database_path, "database", "path");
+ char *db_path = (char *)_config_get (config, &config->database_path, "database", "path");
+
+ if (db_path && *db_path != '/') {
+ /* If the path in the configuration file begins with any
+ * character other than /, presume that it is relative to
+ * $HOME and update as appropriate.
+ */
+ char *abs_path = talloc_asprintf (config, "%s/%s", getenv ("HOME"), db_path);
+ talloc_free (db_path);
+ db_path = config->database_path = abs_path;
+ }
+
+ return db_path;