diff --git a/internal/transport/transport.go b/internal/transport/transport.go
index c7f66afb8..e1f386a26 100644
--- a/internal/transport/transport.go
+++ b/internal/transport/transport.go
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/url"
+	"os"
+	"path"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -19,7 +22,18 @@ func ReadJSON(uri string, timeout time.Duration, target interface{}) error {
 	case "http", "https":
 		reader, err = newHTTPReader(u.String(), timeout)
 	case "file":
-		reader, err = newFileReader(u.Path)
+		// if we have a file URI with relative path we need to expand it into an
+		// absolute path, url.Parse doesn't support relative file paths
+		if strings.HasPrefix(uri, "file:///") {
+			reader, err = newFileReader(u.Path)
+		} else {
+			wd, e := os.Getwd()
+			if e != nil {
+				return e
+			}
+			absolutePath := path.Join(wd, strings.TrimPrefix(uri, "file://"))
+			reader, err = newFileReader(absolutePath)
+		}
 	default:
 		return fmt.Errorf("Unsupported URI scheme '%s' in '%s'", u.Scheme, u)
 	}