diff --git a/broadcast_test.go b/broadcast_test.go
index 5654f7c28..970a249cb 100644
--- a/broadcast_test.go
+++ b/broadcast_test.go
@@ -56,9 +56,14 @@ func testMessageMarshal(t *testing.T, m proto.Message) {
 
 // Ensure that BroadcastReceiver can register a BroadcastHandler.
 func TestBroadcast_BroadcastReceiver(t *testing.T) {
+	path, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "pilosa-")
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
 	com := server.NewCommand(bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{}), ioutil.Discard, ioutil.Discard)
 	com.Config.Bind = "localhost:0"
-	err := com.SetupServer() // this test shouldn't need to import pilosa/server just to set up the Server, but it really shouldn't need to setup the Server at all. The Server should not be the implementation of Broadcast* TODO
+	com.Config.DataDir = path
+	err = com.SetupServer() // this test shouldn't need to import pilosa/server just to set up the Server, but it really shouldn't need to setup the Server at all. The Server should not be the implementation of Broadcast* TODO
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("setting up server: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 52999b1c5..43caa9558 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ type Server struct {
 	maxWritesPerRequest int
 
 	defaultClient InternalClient
+	dataDir       string
 }
 
 // ServerOption is a functional option type for pilosa.Server
@@ -98,8 +100,7 @@ func OptServerReplicaN(n int) ServerOption {
 
 func OptServerDataDir(dir string) ServerOption {
 	return func(s *Server) error {
-		s.Cluster.Path = dir
-		s.Holder.Path = dir
+		s.dataDir = dir
 		return nil
 	}
 }
@@ -231,9 +232,16 @@ func NewServer(opts ...ServerOption) (*Server, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	path, err := expandDirName(s.dataDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	s.Holder.Path = path
 	s.Holder.Logger = s.logger
 	s.Holder.Stats.SetLogger(s.logger)
 
+	s.Cluster.Path = path
 	s.Cluster.Logger = s.logger
 	s.Cluster.Holder = s.Holder
 
@@ -784,3 +792,15 @@ type StatusHandler interface {
 	ClusterStatus() (proto.Message, error)
 	HandleRemoteStatus(proto.Message) error
 }
+
+func expandDirName(path string) (string, error) {
+	prefix := "~" + string(filepath.Separator)
+	if strings.HasPrefix(path, prefix) {
+		HomeDir := os.Getenv("HOME")
+		if HomeDir == "" {
+			return "", errors.New("data directory not specified and no home dir available")
+		}
+		return filepath.Join(HomeDir, strings.TrimPrefix(path, prefix)), nil
+	}
+	return path, nil
+}
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 8fd699ce5..3098cddeb 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -28,9 +28,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
-	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
@@ -93,14 +91,6 @@ func NewCommand(stdin io.Reader, stdout, stderr io.Writer) *Command {
 // Start starts the pilosa server - it returns once the server is running.
 func (m *Command) Start() (err error) {
 	defer close(m.Started)
-	prefix := "~" + string(filepath.Separator)
-	if strings.HasPrefix(m.Config.DataDir, prefix) {
-		HomeDir := os.Getenv("HOME")
-		if HomeDir == "" {
-			return errors.New("data directory not specified and no home dir available")
-		}
-		m.Config.DataDir = filepath.Join(HomeDir, strings.TrimPrefix(m.Config.DataDir, prefix))
-	}
 
 	// SetupServer
 	err = m.SetupServer()