diff --git a/src/node/cli.ts b/src/node/cli.ts
index d9bbca0e2..388cf8555 100644
--- a/src/node/cli.ts
+++ b/src/node/cli.ts
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ export async function readConfigFile(configPath?: string): Promise<ConfigArgs> {
     await fs.writeFile(configPath, defaultConfigFile(generatedPassword), {
       flag: "wx", // wx means to fail if the path exists.
     })
-    logger.info(`Wrote default config file to ${humanPath(configPath)}`)
+    logger.info(`Wrote default config file to ${humanPath(os.homedir(), configPath)}`)
   } catch (error: any) {
     // EEXIST is fine; we don't want to overwrite existing configurations.
     if (error.code !== "EEXIST") {
diff --git a/src/node/main.ts b/src/node/main.ts
index a4dfcee69..32dd48a29 100644
--- a/src/node/main.ts
+++ b/src/node/main.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { field, logger } from "@coder/logger"
+import * as os from "os"
 import http from "http"
 import path from "path"
 import { Disposable } from "../common/emitter"
@@ -95,8 +96,8 @@ export const runCodeServer = async (
 ): Promise<{ dispose: Disposable["dispose"]; server: http.Server }> => {
   logger.info(`code-server ${version} ${commit}`)
 
-  logger.info(`Using user-data-dir ${humanPath(args["user-data-dir"])}`)
-  logger.trace(`Using extensions-dir ${humanPath(args["extensions-dir"])}`)
+  logger.info(`Using user-data-dir ${humanPath(os.homedir(), args["user-data-dir"])}`)
+  logger.trace(`Using extensions-dir ${humanPath(os.homedir(), args["extensions-dir"])}`)
 
   if (args.auth === AuthType.Password && !args.password && !args["hashed-password"]) {
     throw new Error(
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ export const runCodeServer = async (
   const serverAddress = ensureAddress(app.server, protocol)
   const disposeRoutes = await register(app, args)
 
-  logger.info(`Using config file ${humanPath(args.config)}`)
+  logger.info(`Using config file ${humanPath(os.homedir(), args.config)}`)
   logger.info(
     `${protocol.toUpperCase()} server listening on ${serverAddress.toString()} ${
       args.link ? "(randomized by --link)" : ""
@@ -123,14 +124,14 @@ export const runCodeServer = async (
     } else if (args.usingEnvHashedPassword) {
       logger.info("    - Using password from $HASHED_PASSWORD")
     } else {
-      logger.info(`    - Using password from ${humanPath(args.config)}`)
+      logger.info(`    - Using password from ${humanPath(os.homedir(), args.config)}`)
     }
   } else {
     logger.info(`  - Authentication is disabled ${args.link ? "(disabled by --link)" : ""}`)
   }
 
   if (args.cert) {
-    logger.info(`  - Using certificate for HTTPS: ${humanPath(args.cert.value)}`)
+    logger.info(`  - Using certificate for HTTPS: ${humanPath(os.homedir(), args.cert.value)}`)
   } else {
     logger.info(`  - Not serving HTTPS ${args.link ? "(disabled by --link)" : ""}`)
   }
diff --git a/src/node/routes/login.ts b/src/node/routes/login.ts
index 9c1425c36..c0b5fde88 100644
--- a/src/node/routes/login.ts
+++ b/src/node/routes/login.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { Router, Request } from "express"
 import { promises as fs } from "fs"
 import { RateLimiter as Limiter } from "limiter"
+import * as os from "os"
 import * as path from "path"
 import { rootPath } from "../constants"
 import { authenticated, getCookieDomain, redirect, replaceTemplates } from "../http"
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ export class RateLimiter {
 
 const getRoot = async (req: Request, error?: Error): Promise<string> => {
   const content = await fs.readFile(path.join(rootPath, "src/browser/pages/login.html"), "utf8")
-  let passwordMsg = `Check the config file at ${humanPath(req.args.config)} for the password.`
+  let passwordMsg = `Check the config file at ${humanPath(os.homedir(), req.args.config)} for the password.`
   if (req.args.usingEnvPassword) {
     passwordMsg = "Password was set from $PASSWORD."
   } else if (req.args.usingEnvHashedPassword) {
diff --git a/src/node/util.ts b/src/node/util.ts
index a86f2d0fc..d42ffcd02 100644
--- a/src/node/util.ts
+++ b/src/node/util.ts
@@ -88,16 +88,17 @@ export function getEnvPaths(): Paths {
 }
 
 /**
- * humanPath replaces the home directory in p with ~.
+ * humanPath replaces the home directory in path with ~.
  * Makes it more readable.
  *
- * @param p
+ * @param homedir - the home directory(i.e. `os.homedir()`)
+ * @param path - a file path
  */
-export function humanPath(p?: string): string {
-  if (!p) {
+export function humanPath(homedir: string, path?: string): string {
+  if (!path) {
     return ""
   }
-  return p.replace(os.homedir(), "~")
+  return path.replace(homedir, "~")
 }
 
 export const generateCertificate = async (hostname: string): Promise<{ cert: string; certKey: string }> => {
diff --git a/test/unit/node/util.test.ts b/test/unit/node/util.test.ts
index 717428983..3a37f4a90 100644
--- a/test/unit/node/util.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/node/util.test.ts
@@ -476,3 +476,19 @@ describe("isFile", () => {
     expect(await util.isFile(pathToFile)).toBe(true)
   })
 })
+
+describe("humanPath", () => {
+  it("should return an empty string if no path provided", () => {
+    const mockHomedir = "/home/coder"
+    const actual = util.humanPath(mockHomedir)
+    const expected = ""
+    expect(actual).toBe(expected)
+  })
+  it("should replace the homedir with ~", () => {
+    const mockHomedir = "/home/coder"
+    const path = `${mockHomedir}/code-server`
+    const actual = util.humanPath(mockHomedir, path)
+    const expected = "~/code-server"
+    expect(actual).toBe(expected)
+  })
+})