diff --git a/include/config.hpp b/include/config.hpp
index 66945542..18a1daed 100644
--- a/include/config.hpp
+++ b/include/config.hpp
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ class Config {
   static std::optional<std::string> findConfigPath(
       const std::vector<std::string> &names, const std::vector<std::string> &dirs = CONFIG_DIRS);
 
+  static std::optional<std::string> tryExpandPath(const std::string &base,
+                                                  const std::string &filename);
+
   Config() = default;
 
   void load(const std::string &config);
diff --git a/src/ALabel.cpp b/src/ALabel.cpp
index da2991a3..ecb1b7ce 100644
--- a/src/ALabel.cpp
+++ b/src/ALabel.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <util/command.hpp>
 
+#include "config.hpp"
+
 namespace waybar {
 
 ALabel::ALabel(const Json::Value& config, const std::string& name, const std::string& id,
@@ -61,6 +63,14 @@ ALabel::ALabel(const Json::Value& config, const std::string& name, const std::st
     try {
       // Check that the file exists
       std::string menuFile = config_["menu-file"].asString();
+
+      // there might be "~" or "$HOME" in original path, try to expand it.
+      auto result = Config::tryExpandPath(menuFile, "");
+      if (!result.has_value()) {
+        throw std::runtime_error("Failed to expand file: " + menuFile);
+      }
+
+      menuFile = result.value();
       // Read the menu descriptor file
       std::ifstream file(menuFile);
       if (!file.is_open()) {
@@ -170,7 +180,7 @@ bool waybar::ALabel::handleToggle(GdkEventButton* const& e) {
   return AModule::handleToggle(e);
 }
 
-void ALabel::handleGtkMenuEvent(GtkMenuItem* menuitem, gpointer data) {
+void ALabel::handleGtkMenuEvent(GtkMenuItem* /*menuitem*/, gpointer data) {
   waybar::util::command::res res = waybar::util::command::exec((char*)data, "GtkMenu");
 }
 
diff --git a/src/config.cpp b/src/config.cpp
index b78af56c..375dc4cb 100644
--- a/src/config.cpp
+++ b/src/config.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ const std::vector<std::string> Config::CONFIG_DIRS = {
 
 const char *Config::CONFIG_PATH_ENV = "WAYBAR_CONFIG_DIR";
 
-std::optional<std::string> tryExpandPath(const std::string &base, const std::string &filename) {
+std::optional<std::string> Config::tryExpandPath(const std::string &base,
+                                                 const std::string &filename) {
   fs::path path;
 
   if (!filename.empty()) {