diff --git a/cmd/sketch/main.go b/cmd/sketch/main.go
index 8067af7..1dd4802 100644
--- a/cmd/sketch/main.go
+++ b/cmd/sketch/main.go
@@ -129,6 +129,25 @@
 	}
 }
 
+// expandTilde expands ~ in the given path to the user's home directory
+func expandTilde(path string) (string, error) {
+	if path == "~" {
+		homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+		if err != nil {
+			return path, err
+		}
+		return homeDir, nil
+	}
+	if strings.HasPrefix(path, "~/") {
+		homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+		if err != nil {
+			return path, err
+		}
+		return strings.Replace(path, "~", homeDir, 1), nil
+	}
+	return path, nil
+}
+
 // CLIFlags holds all command-line arguments
 // StringSliceFlag is a custom flag type that allows for repeated flag values.
 // It collects all values into a slice.
@@ -283,6 +302,20 @@
 		flags.openBrowser = !flags.oneShot && os.Getenv("SSH_CONNECTION") == ""
 	}
 
+	// expand ~ in mounts
+	for i, mount := range flags.mounts {
+		host, container, ok := strings.Cut(mount, ":")
+		if !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		expanded, err := expandTilde(host)
+		if err != nil {
+			slog.Warn("failed to expand tilde in mount path", "path", host, "error", err)
+			continue
+		}
+		flags.mounts[i] = expanded + ":" + container
+	}
+
 	return flags
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/sketch/main_test.go b/cmd/sketch/main_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ebd05d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/sketch/main_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestExpandTilde(t *testing.T) {
+	homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to get home directory: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		input    string
+		expected string
+	}{
+		{"tilde only", "~", homeDir},
+		{"tilde with path", "~/Documents", homeDir + "/Documents"},
+		{"no tilde", "/absolute/path", "/absolute/path"},
+		{"tilde in middle", "/path/~/middle", "/path/~/middle"},
+		{"relative path", "relative/path", "relative/path"},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			result, err := expandTilde(tt.input)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Errorf("expandTilde(%q) returned error: %v", tt.input, err)
+			}
+			if result != tt.expected {
+				t.Errorf("expandTilde(%q) = %q, want %q", tt.input, result, tt.expected)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}