diff --git a/lib/foreman/export/base.rb b/lib/foreman/export/base.rb
index 1c38c1f..7bebd43 100644
--- a/lib/foreman/export/base.rb
+++ b/lib/foreman/export/base.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ private ######################################################################
   def export_template(exporter, file, template_root)
     if template_root && File.exist?(file_path = File.join(template_root, file))
       File.read(file_path)
-    elsif File.exist?(file_path = File.join("~/.foreman/templates", file))
+    elsif File.exist?(file_path = File.expand_path(File.join("~/.foreman/templates", file)))
       File.read(file_path)
     else
       File.read(File.expand_path("../../../../data/export/#{exporter}/#{file}", __FILE__))
diff --git a/spec/foreman/export/upstart_spec.rb b/spec/foreman/export/upstart_spec.rb
index 62b3d91..6ad23c1 100644
--- a/spec/foreman/export/upstart_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/foreman/export/upstart_spec.rb
@@ -38,13 +38,19 @@ describe Foreman::Export::Upstart do
   end
 
   context "with alternate templates from home dir" do
-    let(:default_template_root) {File.expand_path("~/.foreman/templates")}
+    let(:default_template_root) {File.expand_path("#{ENV['HOME']}/.foreman/templates")}
 
     before do
+      ENV['_FOREMAN_SPEC_HOME'] = ENV['HOME']
+      ENV['HOME'] = "/home/appuser"
       FileUtils.mkdir_p default_template_root
       File.open("#{default_template_root}/master.conf.erb", "w") { |f| f.puts "default_alternate_template" }
     end
 
+    after do
+      ENV['HOME'] = ENV.delete('_FOREMAN_SPEC_HOME')
+    end
+
     it "can export with alternate template files" do
       upstart.export("/tmp/init")