diff --git a/pywb/utils/test/test_loaders.py b/pywb/utils/test/test_loaders.py
index 020becca..a765808e 100644
--- a/pywb/utils/test/test_loaders.py
+++ b/pywb/utils/test/test_loaders.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ True
 100
 
 # no length specified, read full amount requested
->>> len(BlockLoader().load('file:' + pathname2url(test_cdx_dir + 'example.cdx'), 0, -1).read(400))
+>>> len(BlockLoader().load(to_local_url(test_cdx_dir + 'example.cdx'), 0, -1).read(400))
 400
 
 # HMAC Cookie Maker
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ True
 
 #=================================================================
 import re
+import os
 from io import BytesIO
 from pywb.utils.loaders import BlockLoader, HMACCookieMaker
 from pywb.utils.loaders import LimitReader, extract_client_cookie
@@ -83,7 +84,9 @@ def seek_read_full(seekable_reader, offset):
     seekable_reader.readline() #skip
     return seekable_reader.readline()
 
-
+def to_local_url(filename):
+    filename = os.path.abspath(filename)
+    return 'file://' + pathname2url(filename)
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     import doctest