diff --git a/auth/action.yaml b/auth/action.yaml
index af05dc6..1aa4eb4 100644
--- a/auth/action.yaml
+++ b/auth/action.yaml
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@ runs:
       id: create
       shell: bash
       run: |
-        CREDENTIAL_FILE="$HOME/${{ inputs.terraform-cli-config-file }}"
+        CREDENTIAL_FILE="${{ inputs.terraform-cli-config-file }}"
+        # if CREDENTIAL_FILE does not start with $HOME, prepend it
+        if [[ ! "$CREDENTIAL_FILE" =~ ^\$HOME ]]; then
+          CREDENTIAL_FILE="$HOME/$CREDENTIAL_FILE"
+        fi
         if [[ -f "$CREDENTIAL_FILE" ]]; then
           echo "file-created=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           echo "Terraform credentials already present, skipping."