diff --git a/src/sfizz/Region.cpp b/src/sfizz/Region.cpp
index 2d232429..08d5be05 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Region.cpp
+++ b/src/sfizz/Region.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "StringViewHelpers.h"
 #include "MidiState.h"
 #include "absl/strings/str_replace.h"
+#include "absl/strings/str_cat.h"
 #include <random>
 
 bool sfz::Region::parseOpcode(const Opcode& opcode)
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ bool sfz::Region::parseOpcode(const Opcode& opcode)
     switch (hash(opcode.opcode)) {
     // Sound source: sample playback
     case hash("sample"):
-        sample = absl::StrReplaceAll(trim(opcode.value), { { "\\", "/" } });
+        sample = absl::StrCat(defaultPath, absl::StrReplaceAll(trim(opcode.value), { { "\\", "/" } }));
         break;
     case hash("delay"):
         setValueFromOpcode(opcode, delay, Default::delayRange);
diff --git a/src/sfizz/Region.h b/src/sfizz/Region.h
index f42b2213..441acb09 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Region.h
+++ b/src/sfizz/Region.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "Opcode.h"
 #include "AudioBuffer.h"
 #include "MidiState.h"
+#include "absl/strings/str_cat.h"
 #include <bitset>
 #include <absl/types/optional.h>
 #include <random>
@@ -49,9 +50,12 @@ namespace sfz {
  *
  */
 struct Region {
-    Region(const MidiState& midiState)
-    : midiState(midiState)
+    Region(const MidiState& midiState, std::string defaultPath = "")
+    : midiState(midiState), defaultPath(std::move(defaultPath))
     {
+        if (!this->defaultPath.empty() && this->defaultPath.back() != '/')
+            absl::StrAppend(&this->defaultPath, "/");
+
         ccSwitched.set();
     }
     Region(const Region&) = default;
@@ -320,6 +324,7 @@ private:
     bool bpmSwitched { true };
     bool aftertouchSwitched { true };
     std::bitset<128> ccSwitched;
+    std::string defaultPath { "" };
 
     int activeNotesInRange { -1 };
     int sequenceCounter { 0 };
diff --git a/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp b/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
index 8d5d7295..81cdf979 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
+++ b/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ void sfz::Synth::callback(absl::string_view header, const std::vector<Opcode>& m
 
 void sfz::Synth::buildRegion(const std::vector<Opcode>& regionOpcodes)
 {
-    auto lastRegion = std::make_unique<Region>(midiState);
+    auto lastRegion = std::make_unique<Region>(midiState, defaultPath);
 
     auto parseOpcodes = [&](const auto& opcodes) {
         for (auto& opcode : opcodes) {
@@ -179,11 +179,10 @@ void sfz::Synth::handleControlOpcodes(const std::vector<Opcode>& members)
         case hash("Default_path"):
             [[fallthrough]];
         case hash("default_path"): {
-            const auto stringPath = absl::StrReplaceAll(trim(member.value), { { "\\", "/" } });
-            const auto newPath = originalDirectory / fs::path(stringPath);
-            if (fs::exists(newPath)) {
-                DBG("Changing default sample path to " << stringPath);
-                defaultPath = newPath;
+            const auto newPath = absl::StrReplaceAll(trim(member.value), { { "\\", "/" } });
+            if (fs::exists(originalDirectory / newPath)) {
+                DBG("Changing default sample path to " << newPath);
+                defaultPath = std::move(newPath);
             }
             break;
         }
@@ -220,7 +219,6 @@ bool sfz::Synth::loadSfzFile(const fs::path& filename)
     }
 
     clear();
-    defaultPath = filename.parent_path();
     auto parserReturned = sfz::Parser::loadSfzFile(filename);
     if (!parserReturned)
         return false;
@@ -228,7 +226,7 @@ bool sfz::Synth::loadSfzFile(const fs::path& filename)
     if (regions.empty())
         return false;
 
-    resources.filePool.setRootDirectory(this->defaultPath);
+    resources.filePool.setRootDirectory(this->originalDirectory);
 
     auto lastRegion = regions.end() - 1;
     auto currentRegion = regions.begin();
diff --git a/src/sfizz/Synth.h b/src/sfizz/Synth.h
index f3840343..bda482c3 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Synth.h
+++ b/src/sfizz/Synth.h
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ private:
     MidiState midiState;
 
     // default_path
-    fs::path defaultPath { };
+    std::string defaultPath { "" };
 
     LEAK_DETECTOR(Synth);
 };