diff --git a/quickshell/Common/Paths.qml b/quickshell/Common/Paths.qml
index ee50cefb..3d728b87 100644
--- a/quickshell/Common/Paths.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Common/Paths.qml
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ Singleton {
     }
 
     function expandTilde(path: string): string {
-        return strip(path.replace("~", stringify(root.home)));
+        if (!path.startsWith("~"))
+            return path;
+        return strip(root.home) + path.substring(1);
     }
 
     function shortenHome(path: string): string {
diff --git a/quickshell/Common/Theme.qml b/quickshell/Common/Theme.qml
index 7441f191..69b5f326 100644
--- a/quickshell/Common/Theme.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Common/Theme.qml
@@ -1100,7 +1100,7 @@ Singleton {
     }
 
     function loadCustomThemeFromFile(filePath) {
-        customThemeFileView.path = filePath;
+        customThemeFileView.path = Paths.expandTilde(filePath);
     }
 
     function reloadCustomThemeVariant() {
@@ -1749,6 +1749,7 @@ Singleton {
 
     FileView {
         id: customThemeFileView
+        blockLoading: false
         watchChanges: currentTheme === "custom"
 
         function parseAndLoadTheme() {