diff --git a/copy b/copy
index ef6c30a6b66..b5a52647a95 100755
--- a/copy
+++ b/copy
@@ -40,9 +40,12 @@ for x in items:
     (k, v) = x.split("=")
     params[k] = v
 
-src  = os.path.expanduser(params['src'])
-dest = os.path.expanduser(params['dest'])
-
+src  = params['src']
+dest = params['dest']
+if src:
+   src = os.path.expanduser(src)
+if dest:
+   dest = os.path.expanduser(dest)
  
 # raise an error if there is no src file
 if not os.path.exists(src):
diff --git a/file b/file
index 2922c3d0803..b672934e4ee 100755
--- a/file
+++ b/file
@@ -88,8 +88,12 @@ for x in items:
     params[k] = v
 
 state     = params.get('state','file')
-path      = os.path.expanduser(params.get('path', params.get('dest', params.get('name', None))))
-src       = os.path.expanduser(params.get('src', None))
+path      = params.get('path', params.get('dest', params.get('name', None)))
+if path:
+   path = os.path.expanduser(path)
+src       = params.get('src', None)
+if src:
+   path = os.path.expanduser(src)
 dest      = params.get('dest', None)
 mode      = params.get('mode', None)
 owner     = params.get('owner', None)