diff --git a/src/util.js b/src/util.js
index 6fc51fa..e3f726c 100644
--- a/src/util.js
+++ b/src/util.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ export const getApiUrl = path => {
     ? config.api.baseUrl.slice(1)
     : config.api.baseUrl;
   const normalizedPath = path.startsWith("/") ? path : `/${path}`;
-  return `${normalizedBaseUrl}${normalizedPath}`;
+  return new URL(`${normalizedBaseUrl}${normalizedPath}`);
 };
 
 export const isIsoDate = s => ISO_DATE_REGEXP.test(s);
diff --git a/tests/util.test.js b/tests/util.test.js
index 2e15776..882a123 100644
--- a/tests/util.test.js
+++ b/tests/util.test.js
@@ -9,16 +9,18 @@ import {
 describe("getApiUrl", () => {
   test("without base URL", () => {
     // See testURL in jest.config.js
-    expect(getApiUrl("foo")).toBe("http://localhost/foo");
-    expect(getApiUrl("/foo")).toBe("http://localhost/foo");
-    expect(getApiUrl("/foo/bar")).toBe("http://localhost/foo/bar");
+    expect(getApiUrl("foo").href).toBe("http://localhost/foo");
+    expect(getApiUrl("/foo").href).toBe("http://localhost/foo");
+    expect(getApiUrl("/foo/bar").href).toBe("http://localhost/foo/bar");
   });
 
   test("with base URL", () => {
     config.api.baseUrl = "http://example.com/owntracks";
-    expect(getApiUrl("foo")).toBe("http://example.com/owntracks/foo");
-    expect(getApiUrl("/foo")).toBe("http://example.com/owntracks/foo");
-    expect(getApiUrl("/foo/bar")).toBe("http://example.com/owntracks/foo/bar");
+    expect(getApiUrl("foo").href).toBe("http://example.com/owntracks/foo");
+    expect(getApiUrl("/foo").href).toBe("http://example.com/owntracks/foo");
+    expect(getApiUrl("/foo/bar").href).toBe(
+      "http://example.com/owntracks/foo/bar"
+    );
   });
 });