diff --git a/src/tools/balooctl/configcommand.cpp b/src/tools/balooctl/configcommand.cpp
--- a/src/tools/balooctl/configcommand.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/balooctl/configcommand.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "configcommand.h"
 #include "indexerconfig.h"
 
+#include <QDir>
 #include <QTextStream>
 #include <QFileInfo>
 
@@ -162,25 +163,14 @@
                 return 1;
             }
 
-            auto fileInfo = QFileInfo(args.takeFirst());
-            if (!fileInfo.exists()) {
-                out << i18n("Path does not exist") << endl;
-                return 1;
-            }
-
-            if (!fileInfo.isDir()) {
-                out << i18n("Path is not a directory") << endl;
-                return 1;
-            }
-
-            auto path = fileInfo.absoluteFilePath();
+            QString pathToRemove = args.takeFirst().replace('$HOME', QDir::homePath());
             QStringList folders = config.includeFolders();
-            if (!folders.contains(path)) {
-                out << i18n("%1 is not in the list of include folders", path) << endl;
+            if (!folders.contains(pathToRemove)) {
+                out << i18n("%1 is not in the list of include folders", pathToRemove) << endl;
                 return 1;
             }
 
-            folders.removeAll(path);
+            folders.removeAll(pathToRemove);
             config.setIncludeFolders(folders);
 
             return 0;
@@ -192,25 +182,14 @@
                 return 1;
             }
 
-            auto fileInfo = QFileInfo(args.takeFirst());
-            if (!fileInfo.exists()) {
-                out << i18n("Path does not exist") << endl;
-                return 1;
-            }
-
-            if (!fileInfo.isDir()) {
-                out << i18n("Path is not a directory") << endl;
-                return 1;
-            }
-
-            auto path = fileInfo.absoluteFilePath();
+            QString pathToRemove = args.takeFirst().replace('$HOME', QDir::homePath());
             QStringList folders = config.excludeFolders();
-            if (!folders.contains(path)) {
-                out << i18n("%1 is not in the list of exclude folders", path) << endl;
+            if (!folders.contains(pathToRemove)) {
+                out << i18n("%1 is not in the list of exclude folders", pathToRemove) << endl;
                 return 1;
             }
 
-            folders.removeAll(path);
+            folders.removeAll(pathToRemove);
             config.setExcludeFolders(folders);
 
             return 0;