diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/org/domaindrivenarchitecture/provs/workplace/infrastructure/Gopass.kt b/src/main/kotlin/org/domaindrivenarchitecture/provs/workplace/infrastructure/Gopass.kt
index 4f454d5..f06f056 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/org/domaindrivenarchitecture/provs/workplace/infrastructure/Gopass.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/org/domaindrivenarchitecture/provs/workplace/infrastructure/Gopass.kt
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ fun Prov.installGopass(
 
 
 fun Prov.configureGopass(gopassRootFolder: String? = null) = def {
+    if ((gopassRootFolder != null) && (gopassRootFolder.trim().length > 0) && ("~" == gopassRootFolder.trim().substring(0, 1))) {
+        return@def ProvResult(false, err = "Gopass cannot be initialized with folders starting with ~")
+    }
     val defaultRootFolder = userHome() + ".password-store"
     val rootFolder = gopassRootFolder ?: defaultRootFolder
     // use default
diff --git a/src/test/kotlin/org/domaindrivenarchitecture/provs/extensions/workplace/base/GopassKtTest.kt b/src/test/kotlin/org/domaindrivenarchitecture/provs/extensions/workplace/base/GopassKtTest.kt
index 3a94164..362006f 100644
--- a/src/test/kotlin/org/domaindrivenarchitecture/provs/extensions/workplace/base/GopassKtTest.kt
+++ b/src/test/kotlin/org/domaindrivenarchitecture/provs/extensions/workplace/base/GopassKtTest.kt
@@ -16,10 +16,21 @@ import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test
 import org.domaindrivenarchitecture.provs.extensions.test_keys.privateGPGSnakeoilKey
 import org.domaindrivenarchitecture.provs.extensions.test_keys.publicGPGSnakeoilKey
 import org.domaindrivenarchitecture.provs.workplace.infrastructure.*
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertFalse
 
 
 internal class GopassKtTest {
 
+    @ContainerTest
+    @Test
+    fun test_configureGopass_fails_with_path_starting_with_tilde() {
+        // when
+        val res = defaultTestContainer().configureGopass("~/somedir")
+
+        // then
+        assertFalse(res.success)
+    }
+
     @ContainerTest
     @Test
     fun test_installAndConfigureGopassAndMountStore() {