diff --git a/veilid-cli/src/main.rs b/veilid-cli/src/main.rs
index f1448bd3..02c78631 100644
--- a/veilid-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/veilid-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), String> {
         None
     };
 
-    let mut settings = settings::Settings::new(settings_path)
+    let mut settings = settings::Settings::new(settings_path.as_ref().map(|x| x.as_os_str()))
         .map_err(|e| format!("configuration is invalid: {}", e))?;
 
     // Set config from command line
diff --git a/veilid-cli/src/settings.rs b/veilid-cli/src/settings.rs
index a34b14ff..5cc9268f 100644
--- a/veilid-cli/src/settings.rs
+++ b/veilid-cli/src/settings.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use directories::*;
 
 use serde_derive::*;
-use std::ffi::OsString;
+use std::ffi::OsStr;
 use std::net::{SocketAddr, ToSocketAddrs};
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
@@ -234,13 +234,13 @@ impl Settings {
         default_log_directory
     }
 
-    pub fn new(config_file: Option<OsString>) -> Result<Self, config::ConfigError> {
+    pub fn new(config_file: Option<&OsStr>) -> Result<Self, config::ConfigError> {
         // Load the default config
         let mut cfg = load_default_config()?;
 
         // Merge in the config file if we have one
         if let Some(config_file) = config_file {
-            let config_file_path = Path::new(&config_file);
+            let config_file_path = Path::new(config_file);
             // If the user specifies a config file on the command line then it must exist
             cfg = load_config(cfg, config_file_path)?;
         }