diff --git a/cmd/install_windows.go b/cmd/install_windows.go
index cb463057..b2c89be2 100644
--- a/cmd/install_windows.go
+++ b/cmd/install_windows.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/drakkan/sftpgo/service"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ sftpgo service install
 Please take a look at the usage below to customize the startup options`,
 		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			s := service.Service{
-				ConfigDir:     configDir,
+				ConfigDir:     filepath.Clean(configDir),
 				ConfigFile:    configFile,
 				LogFilePath:   logFilePath,
 				LogMaxSize:    logMaxSize,
diff --git a/cmd/portable.go b/cmd/portable.go
index 80869b31..1f8a1355 100644
--- a/cmd/portable.go
+++ b/cmd/portable.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ Please take a look at the usage below to customize the serving parameters`,
 				portableGCSAutoCredentials = 0
 			}
 			service := service.Service{
-				ConfigDir:     defaultConfigDir,
+				ConfigDir:     filepath.Clean(defaultConfigDir),
 				ConfigFile:    defaultConfigName,
 				LogFilePath:   portableLogFile,
 				LogMaxSize:    defaultLogMaxSize,
diff --git a/cmd/serve.go b/cmd/serve.go
index 897b5cfa..85112ce0 100644
--- a/cmd/serve.go
+++ b/cmd/serve.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"path/filepath"
+
 	"github.com/drakkan/sftpgo/service"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
@@ -16,7 +18,7 @@ sftpgo serve
 Please take a look at the usage below to customize the startup options`,
 		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			service := service.Service{
-				ConfigDir:     configDir,
+				ConfigDir:     filepath.Clean(configDir),
 				ConfigFile:    configFile,
 				LogFilePath:   logFilePath,
 				LogMaxSize:    logMaxSize,
diff --git a/cmd/start_windows.go b/cmd/start_windows.go
index 34e19a6e..d1ce8a8e 100644
--- a/cmd/start_windows.go
+++ b/cmd/start_windows.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/drakkan/sftpgo/service"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ var (
 		Short: "Start SFTPGo Windows Service",
 		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			s := service.Service{
-				ConfigDir:     configDir,
+				ConfigDir:     filepath.Clean(configDir),
 				ConfigFile:    configFile,
 				LogFilePath:   logFilePath,
 				LogMaxSize:    logMaxSize,