diff --git a/loadimage.cpp b/loadimage.cpp
index 1bc71aa..03e265b 100644
--- a/loadimage.cpp
+++ b/loadimage.cpp
@@ -9,16 +9,18 @@
 #include <libexif/exif-data.h>
 #include "rawimage.h"
 
-QString makeMaxPath(QString path)
+QString makeUNCPath(const QString &path)
 {
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN64
-    if(!path.startsWith("\\\\"))
+    if(!path.startsWith("\\\\") && !path.startsWith("//"))
     {
+        QString tmp;
         QFileInfo info(path);
-        path = info.absoluteFilePath();
-        path = QDir::toNativeSeparators(path);
-        path.prepend("\\\\?\\");
-        qDebug() << path;
+        tmp = info.absoluteFilePath();
+        tmp = QDir::toNativeSeparators(tmp);
+        tmp.prepend("\\\\?\\");
+        qDebug() << "makeMaxPath" << path << tmp;
+        return tmp;
     }
 #endif
     return path;
@@ -276,7 +278,7 @@ bool readFITSHeader(const QString &path, ImageInfoData &info)
 {
     fitsfile *fr;
     int status = 0;
-    QString path2 = makeMaxPath(path);
+    QString path2 = makeUNCPath(path);
     fits_open_diskfile(&fr, path2.toLocal8Bit().data(), READONLY, &status);
 
     if(fr && status == 0)
@@ -289,7 +291,7 @@ bool readFITSHeader(const QString &path, ImageInfoData &info)
 
 bool readXISFHeader(const QString &path, ImageInfoData &info)
 {
-    QString path2 = makeMaxPath(path);
+    QString path2 = makeUNCPath(path);
     try
     {
         LibXISF::XISFReader xisf;
diff --git a/loadimage.h b/loadimage.h
index df8146e..0c05544 100644
--- a/loadimage.h
+++ b/loadimage.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 class RawImage;
 
-QString makeMaxPath(QString path);
+QString makeUNCPath(const QString &path);
 bool readFITSHeader(const QString &path, ImageInfoData &info);
 bool readXISFHeader(const QString &path, ImageInfoData &info);
 bool loadImage(const QString &path, ImageInfoData &info, std::shared_ptr<RawImage> &rawImage, bool planar = false);
diff --git a/loadrunable.cpp b/loadrunable.cpp
index d72a9b5..8f06432 100644
--- a/loadrunable.cpp
+++ b/loadrunable.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include <lcms2.h>
 
 LoadRunable::LoadRunable(const QString &file, Image *receiver, AnalyzeLevel level, bool thumbnail) :
-    m_file(makeMaxPath(file)),
+    m_file(makeUNCPath(file)),
     m_receiver(receiver),
     m_analyzeLevel(level),
     m_thumbnail(thumbnail)
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ void LoadRunable::run()
 }
 
 ConvertRunable::ConvertRunable(const QString &in, const QString &out, const QString &format, const ConvertParams &params, QSemaphore *semaphore) :
-    m_infile(makeMaxPath(in)),
-    m_outfile(makeMaxPath(out)),
+    m_infile(makeUNCPath(in)),
+    m_outfile(makeUNCPath(out)),
     m_format(format),
     m_params(params),
     m_semaphore(semaphore)
diff --git a/scriptengine.cpp b/scriptengine.cpp
index a3676e1..f7d9758 100644
--- a/scriptengine.cpp
+++ b/scriptengine.cpp
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ bool File::modifyFITSRecords(const FITSRecordModify *modify)
     {
         fitsfile *file;
         int status = 0;
-        QString path = makeMaxPath(_path);
+        QString path = makeUNCPath(_path);
         fits_open_diskfile(&file, path.toLocal8Bit().data(), READWRITE, &status);
         int num = 0;
         fits_get_num_hdus(file, &num, &status);
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ bool File::modifyFITSRecords(const FITSRecordModify *modify)
         try
         {
             LibXISF::XISFModify modifyXISF;
-            QString in = makeMaxPath(absoluteFilePath());
+            QString in = makeUNCPath(absoluteFilePath());
             QString out = in + "~";
             modifyXISF.open(in.toLocal8Bit().data());
             qDebug() << "modify" << in << out;