diff --git a/quickshell/Common/Paths.qml b/quickshell/Common/Paths.qml
index 19a4b161..7dc756b2 100644
--- a/quickshell/Common/Paths.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Common/Paths.qml
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ 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 fc0b663e..48d9889b 100644
--- a/quickshell/Common/Theme.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Common/Theme.qml
@@ -1321,7 +1321,7 @@ Singleton {
     }
 
     function loadCustomThemeFromFile(filePath) {
-        customThemeFileView.path = filePath;
+        customThemeFileView.path = Paths.expandTilde(filePath);
     }
 
     function reloadCustomThemeVariant() {
@@ -1967,6 +1967,7 @@ Singleton {
 
     FileView {
         id: customThemeFileView
+        blockLoading: false
         watchChanges: currentTheme === "custom"
 
         function parseAndLoadTheme() {
diff --git a/quickshell/Services/MuxService.qml b/quickshell/Services/MuxService.qml
index c2f941cc..09132b93 100644
--- a/quickshell/Services/MuxService.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Services/MuxService.qml
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ Singleton {
 
     function attachToSession(name) {
         if (SettingsData.muxUseCustomCommand && SettingsData.muxCustomCommand) {
-            Quickshell.execDetached([SettingsData.muxCustomCommand, name])
+            Quickshell.execDetached([Paths.expandTilde(SettingsData.muxCustomCommand), name])
         } else if (root.muxType === "zellij") {
             Quickshell.execDetached(_terminalPrefix().concat(["zellij", "attach", name]))
         } else {
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ Singleton {
 
     function createSession(name) {
         if (SettingsData.muxUseCustomCommand && SettingsData.muxCustomCommand) {
-            Quickshell.execDetached([SettingsData.muxCustomCommand, name])
+            Quickshell.execDetached([Paths.expandTilde(SettingsData.muxCustomCommand), name])
         } else if (root.muxType === "zellij") {
             Quickshell.execDetached(_terminalPrefix().concat(["zellij", "-s", name]))
         } else {