diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 53fc9cb..96358ed 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ ENV HYPERGLASS_DEBUG=false
 ENV HYPERGLASS_DEV_MODE=false
 ENV HYPERGLASS_REDIS_HOST=redis
 ENV HYPEGLASS_DISABLE_UI=true
+ENV HYPERGLASS_CONTAINER=true
 COPY . .
 
 FROM base as ui
diff --git a/compose.yaml b/compose.yaml
index 5efe4e9..74a6ff6 100644
--- a/compose.yaml
+++ b/compose.yaml
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ services:
             - HYPERGLASS_DEV_MODE=${HYPERGLASS_DEV_MODE-false}
             - HYPERGLASS_REDIS_HOST=${HYPERGLASS_REDIS_HOST-redis}
             - HYPEGLASS_DISABLE_UI=${HYPEGLASS_DISABLE_UI-false}
+            - HYPERGLASS_CONTAINER=${HYPERGLASS_CONTAINER-true}
+            - HYPERGLASS_ORIGINAL_APP_PATH=${HYPERGLASS_APP_PATH}
         build: .
         ports:
             - "${HYPERGLASS_PORT-8001}:${HYPERGLASS_PORT-8001}"
diff --git a/hyperglass/models/main.py b/hyperglass/models/main.py
index 22078aa..65b8670 100644
--- a/hyperglass/models/main.py
+++ b/hyperglass/models/main.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ from hyperglass.types import Series
 
 MultiModelT = t.TypeVar("MultiModelT", bound=BaseModel)
 
+PathTypeT = t.TypeVar("PathTypeT")
+
 
 def alias_generator(field: str) -> str:
     """Remove unsupported characters from field names.
@@ -44,26 +46,28 @@ class HyperglassModel(BaseModel):
         alias_generator=alias_generator,
     )
 
-    def convert_paths(self, value: t.Any):
-        """Change path to relative to app_path."""
+    def convert_paths(self, value: t.Type[PathTypeT]) -> PathTypeT:
+        """Change path to relative to app_path.
+
+        This is required when running hyperglass in a container so that
+        the original app_path on the host system is not passed through
+        to the container.
+        """
         # Project
         from hyperglass.settings import Settings
 
         if isinstance(value, Path):
             if Settings.container:
-                return str(
-                    Settings.default_app_path.joinpath(
-                        *(p for p in value.parts if p not in Settings.app_path.parts)
-                    )
+                return Settings.default_app_path.joinpath(
+                    *(p for p in value.parts if p not in Settings.original_app_path.parts)
                 )
 
         if isinstance(value, str):
-            path = Path(value)
-            if path.exists() and Settings.container:
-                # if path.exists():
+            if Settings.container:
+                path = Path(value)
                 return str(
                     Settings.default_app_path.joinpath(
-                        *(p for p in path.parts if p not in Settings.app_path.parts)
+                        *(p for p in path.parts if p not in Settings.original_app_path.parts)
                     )
                 )
 
diff --git a/hyperglass/models/system.py b/hyperglass/models/system.py
index 300e0eb..0494526 100644
--- a/hyperglass/models/system.py
+++ b/hyperglass/models/system.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class HyperglassSettings(BaseSettings):
 
     config_file_names: t.ClassVar[t.Tuple[str, ...]] = ("config", "devices", "directives")
     default_app_path: t.ClassVar[Path] = _default_app_path
-    _original_app_path: DirectoryPath = _default_app_path
+    original_app_path: Path = _default_app_path
 
     debug: bool = False
     dev_mode: bool = False