diff --git a/gns3server/modules/iou/iou_vm.py b/gns3server/modules/iou/iou_vm.py
index 37d955ad..ef08ec49 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/iou/iou_vm.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/iou/iou_vm.py
@@ -139,9 +139,10 @@ class IOUVM(BaseVM):
 
         if not os.path.isabs(path):
             server_config = self.manager.config.get_section_config("Server")
-            path = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser(server_config.get("images_path", "~/GNS3/images")), path)
-            if not os.path.exists(path):
-                path = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser(server_config.get("images_path", "~/GNS3/images")), "IOU", path)
+            relative_path = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser(server_config.get("images_path", "~/GNS3/images")), path)
+            if not os.path.exists(relative_path):
+                relative_path = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser(server_config.get("images_path", "~/GNS3/images")), "IOU", path)
+            path = relative_path
 
         self._path = path
         if not os.path.isfile(self._path) or not os.path.exists(self._path):
diff --git a/tests/modules/iou/test_iou_vm.py b/tests/modules/iou/test_iou_vm.py
index 7bbaf769..68a183ac 100644
--- a/tests/modules/iou/test_iou_vm.py
+++ b/tests/modules/iou/test_iou_vm.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
 from gns3server.modules.iou.iou_vm import IOUVM
 from gns3server.modules.iou.iou_error import IOUError
 from gns3server.modules.iou import IOU
-
+from gns3server.config import Config
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="module")
 def manager(port_manager):
@@ -196,8 +196,9 @@ def test_path(vm, fake_iou_bin):
 
 def test_path_relative(vm, fake_iou_bin, tmpdir):
 
-    with patch("gns3server.config.Config.get_section_config", return_value={"images_path": str(tmpdir)}):
-        vm.path = "iou.bin"
+    config = Config.instance()
+    config.set("Server", "images_path", str(tmpdir))
+    vm.path = "iou.bin"
     assert vm.path == fake_iou_bin