diff --git a/sway/commands/ipc.c b/sway/commands/ipc.c
index 8a7b849f93..014c8d3085 100644
--- a/sway/commands/ipc.c
+++ b/sway/commands/ipc.c
@@ -18,8 +18,11 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_ipc(int argc, char **argv) {
 		return error;
 	}
 
-	const char *program = argv[0];
+	char *program = NULL;
 
+	if (!(program = resolve_path(argv[0]))) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	if (config->reading && strcmp("{", argv[1]) != 0) {
 		return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "ipc",
 				"Expected '{' at start of IPC config definition.");
@@ -32,6 +35,7 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_ipc(int argc, char **argv) {
 	current_policy = alloc_ipc_policy(program);
 	list_add(config->ipc_policies, current_policy);
 
+	free(program);
 	return cmd_results_new(CMD_BLOCK_IPC, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
diff --git a/sway/security.c b/sway/security.c
index e70def26f0..79ff0563c9 100644
--- a/sway/security.c
+++ b/sway/security.c
@@ -6,29 +6,30 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include "sway/config.h"
 #include "sway/security.h"
+#include "util.h"
 #include "log.h"
 
-static bool validate_ipc_target(const char *name) {
+static bool validate_ipc_program_target(const char *program) {
 	struct stat sb;
 
-	if (!strcmp(name, "*")) {
+	if (!strcmp(program, "*")) {
 		return true;
 	}
-	if (lstat(name, &sb) == -1) {
+	if (lstat(program, &sb) == -1) {
 		goto failed;
 	}
 	if (!S_ISREG(sb.st_mode)) {
 		sway_log(L_ERROR,
 				"IPC target '%s' MUST be/point at an existing regular file",
-				name);
+				program);
 		goto failed;
 	}
 	if (sb.st_uid != 0) {
-		sway_log(L_ERROR, "IPC target '%s' MUST be owned by root", name);
+		sway_log(L_ERROR, "IPC target '%s' MUST be owned by root", program);
 		goto failed;
 	}
 	if (sb.st_mode & S_IWOTH) {
-		sway_log(L_ERROR, "IPC target '%s' MUST NOT be world writable", name);
+		sway_log(L_ERROR, "IPC target '%s' MUST NOT be world writable", program);
 		goto failed;
 	}
 
@@ -38,11 +39,10 @@ static bool validate_ipc_target(const char *name) {
 	return false;
 }
 
-struct feature_policy *alloc_feature_policy(const char *name) {
+struct feature_policy *alloc_feature_policy(const char *program) {
 	uint32_t default_policy = 0;
-	char *program = NULL;
 
-	if (!validate_ipc_target(name)) {
+	if (!validate_ipc_program_target(program)) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	for (int i = 0; i < config->feature_policies->length; ++i) {
@@ -62,20 +62,17 @@ struct feature_policy *alloc_feature_policy(const char *name) {
 		goto failed;
 	}
 	policy->features = default_policy;
-	free(program);
 	return policy;
 
 failed:
-	free(program);
 	free(policy);
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-struct ipc_policy *alloc_ipc_policy(const char *name) {
+struct ipc_policy *alloc_ipc_policy(const char *program) {
 	uint32_t default_policy = 0;
-	char *program = NULL;
 
-	if (!validate_ipc_target(name)) {
+	if (!validate_ipc_program_target(program)) {
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	for (int i = 0; i < config->ipc_policies->length; ++i) {
@@ -95,11 +92,9 @@ struct ipc_policy *alloc_ipc_policy(const char *name) {
 		goto failed;
 	}
 	policy->features = default_policy;
-	free(program);
 	return policy;
 
 failed:
-	free(program);
 	free(policy);
 	return NULL;
 }
@@ -148,20 +143,26 @@ static const char *get_pid_exe(pid_t pid) {
 
 struct feature_policy *get_feature_policy(const char *name) {
 	struct feature_policy *policy = NULL;
+	char *program = NULL;
+
+	if (!(program = resolve_path (name))) {
+		sway_abort ("Unable to allocate security policy");
+	}
 	for (int i = 0; i < config->feature_policies->length; ++i) {
 		struct feature_policy *p = config->feature_policies->items[i];
-		if (strcmp (p->program, name) == 0) {
+		if (strcmp (p->program, program) == 0) {
 			policy = p;
 			break;
 		}
 	}
 	if (!policy) {
-		policy = alloc_feature_policy (name);
+		policy = alloc_feature_policy (program);
 		if (!policy) {
 			sway_abort ("Unable to allocate security policy");
 		}
 		list_add (config->feature_policies, policy);
 	}
+	free(program);
 	return policy;
 }