diff --git a/chipathlon/workflow.py b/chipathlon/workflow.py
index abd11bc72893581c983f55ba5020c65bab694337..6df66affe81d281477b741017430fd55f1eee8c3 100644
--- a/chipathlon/workflow.py
+++ b/chipathlon/workflow.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class Workflow(object):
         self.run_file = run_file
         self.param_file = param_file
 
-        self.properties_file = properties_file
+        self.properties_file = os.path.abspath(properties_file)
         if not os.path.isfile(self.properties_file):
             self.errors.append("Provided pegasus properties file '%s' does not exist." % (self.properties_file,))
         self._load_config(config_file)