diff --git a/server/AyaNova/util/FileUtil.cs b/server/AyaNova/util/FileUtil.cs
index fbdeb502..b1824770 100644
--- a/server/AyaNova/util/FileUtil.cs
+++ b/server/AyaNova/util/FileUtil.cs
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ namespace AyaNova.Util
         {
             //Console.WriteLine("b fileutil:backupfilesdriveavailablespace, backupfilesfolder:", ServerBootConfig.AYANOVA_BACKUP_FILES_PATH);
             //Console.WriteLine("fileutil:backupfilesdriveavailablespace, backupfilesfolder FULLPATH:", Path.GetFullPath(ServerBootConfig.AYANOVA_BACKUP_FILES_PATH));
-           // Console.WriteLine("fileutil:backupfilesdriveavailablespace, backupfilesfolder PATHROOT:", Path.GetPathRoot(ServerBootConfig.AYANOVA_BACKUP_FILES_PATH));
+            // Console.WriteLine("fileutil:backupfilesdriveavailablespace, backupfilesfolder PATHROOT:", Path.GetPathRoot(ServerBootConfig.AYANOVA_BACKUP_FILES_PATH));
             return new System.IO.DriveInfo(Path.GetPathRoot(ServerBootConfig.AYANOVA_BACKUP_FILES_PATH)).AvailableFreeSpace;
 
         }
@@ -811,15 +811,14 @@ namespace AyaNova.Util
             {
                 return string.Empty;
             }
-
-            //only applies if there is a % in it
-            //"A string containing the names of zero or more environment variables. Each environment variable is quoted with the percent sign character (%)."
-
-            if(!path.Contains('%')){
-                return path;
+           
+            //Linux ~ home folder special handling here
+            if (path.Contains('~'))
+            {
+                //return because no environment variables are expended on linux, this is the only special character 
+                return path.Replace("~", Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.UserProfile));
             }
 
-
             return System.Environment.ExpandEnvironmentVariables(path);
 
         }