diff --git a/yt_dlp/__init__.py b/yt_dlp/__init__.py
index cab2dd62f..29c467b0e 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/__init__.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/__init__.py
@@ -411,6 +411,9 @@ def validate_options(opts):
     if opts.download_archive is not None:
         opts.download_archive = expand_path(opts.download_archive)
 
+    if opts.ffmpeg_location is not None:
+        opts.ffmpeg_location = expand_path(opts.ffmpeg_location)
+
     if opts.user_agent is not None:
         opts.headers.setdefault('User-Agent', opts.user_agent)
     if opts.referer is not None:
@@ -920,7 +923,6 @@ def _real_main(argv=None):
     # We may need ffmpeg_location without having access to the YoutubeDL instance
     # See https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/2191
     if opts.ffmpeg_location:
-        opts.ffmpeg_location = expand_path(opts.ffmpeg_location)
         FFmpegPostProcessor._ffmpeg_location.set(opts.ffmpeg_location)
 
     with YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
diff --git a/yt_dlp/cookies.py b/yt_dlp/cookies.py
index d502e91da..24a8250da 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/cookies.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/cookies.py
@@ -988,8 +988,8 @@ def _parse_browser_specification(browser_name, profile=None, keyring=None, conta
         raise ValueError(f'unsupported browser: "{browser_name}"')
     if keyring not in (None, *SUPPORTED_KEYRINGS):
         raise ValueError(f'unsupported keyring: "{keyring}"')
-    if profile is not None and _is_path(profile):
-        profile = os.path.expanduser(profile)
+    if profile is not None and _is_path(expand_path(profile)):
+        profile = expand_path(profile)
     return browser_name, profile, keyring, container
 
 
diff --git a/yt_dlp/utils.py b/yt_dlp/utils.py
index 25910ed6c..a24ca828e 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/utils.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/utils.py
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ def sanitized_Request(url, *args, **kwargs):
 
 
 def expand_path(s):
-    """Expand shell variables and ~"""
+    """Expand $ shell variables and ~"""
     return os.path.expandvars(compat_expanduser(s))