diff --git a/crates/loader/src/local.rs b/crates/loader/src/local.rs
index ddea5ab7ab..869645e220 100644
--- a/crates/loader/src/local.rs
+++ b/crates/loader/src/local.rs
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ impl LocalLoader {
         files_mount_strategy: FilesMountStrategy,
         cache_root: Option<PathBuf>,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
-        let app_root = app_root
-            .canonicalize()
+        let app_root = safe_canonicalize(app_root)
             .with_context(|| format!("Invalid manifest dir `{}`", app_root.display()))?;
         Ok(Self {
             app_root,
@@ -390,6 +389,17 @@ impl LocalLoader {
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(not(windows))]
+fn safe_canonicalize(path: &Path) -> std::io::Result<PathBuf> {
+    path.canonicalize()
+}
+
+#[cfg(windows)]
+fn safe_canonicalize(path: &Path) -> std::io::Result<PathBuf> {
+    use path_absolutize::Absolutize;
+    Ok(path.absolutize()?.into_owned())
+}
+
 fn locked_metadata(
     details: v2::AppDetails,
     trigger_types: impl Iterator<Item = String>,