diff --git a/element_array_ephys/ephys_acute.py b/element_array_ephys/ephys_acute.py
index df7ebd73..056c64ce 100644
--- a/element_array_ephys/ephys_acute.py
+++ b/element_array_ephys/ephys_acute.py
@@ -890,9 +890,14 @@ def yield_unit_waveforms():
 
 def get_spikeglx_meta_filepath(ephys_recording_key):
     # attempt to retrieve from EphysRecording.EphysFile
-    spikeglx_meta_filepath = (EphysRecording.EphysFile & ephys_recording_key
-                              & 'file_path LIKE "%.ap.meta"').fetch1('file_path')
-
+    spikeglx_meta_filepath = pathlib.Path(
+        (
+            EphysRecording.EphysFile
+            & ephys_recording_key
+            & 'file_path LIKE "%.ap.meta"'
+        ).fetch1("file_path")
+    )
+    
     try:
         spikeglx_meta_filepath = find_full_path(get_ephys_root_data_dir(),
                                                 spikeglx_meta_filepath)
diff --git a/element_array_ephys/ephys_chronic.py b/element_array_ephys/ephys_chronic.py
index 2f6948e6..7c1ebecb 100644
--- a/element_array_ephys/ephys_chronic.py
+++ b/element_array_ephys/ephys_chronic.py
@@ -835,8 +835,13 @@ def yield_unit_waveforms():
 
 def get_spikeglx_meta_filepath(ephys_recording_key):
     # attempt to retrieve from EphysRecording.EphysFile
-    spikeglx_meta_filepath = (EphysRecording.EphysFile & ephys_recording_key
-                              & 'file_path LIKE "%.ap.meta"').fetch1('file_path')
+    spikeglx_meta_filepath = pathlib.Path(
+        (
+            EphysRecording.EphysFile
+            & ephys_recording_key
+            & 'file_path LIKE "%.ap.meta"'
+        ).fetch1("file_path")
+    )
 
     try:
         spikeglx_meta_filepath = find_full_path(get_ephys_root_data_dir(),
diff --git a/element_array_ephys/ephys_no_curation.py b/element_array_ephys/ephys_no_curation.py
index f0988917..17c45b7f 100644
--- a/element_array_ephys/ephys_no_curation.py
+++ b/element_array_ephys/ephys_no_curation.py
@@ -849,8 +849,13 @@ def yield_unit_waveforms():
 
 def get_spikeglx_meta_filepath(ephys_recording_key):
     # attempt to retrieve from EphysRecording.EphysFile
-    spikeglx_meta_filepath = (EphysRecording.EphysFile & ephys_recording_key
-                              & 'file_path LIKE "%.ap.meta"').fetch1('file_path')
+    spikeglx_meta_filepath = pathlib.Path(
+        (
+            EphysRecording.EphysFile
+            & ephys_recording_key
+            & 'file_path LIKE "%.ap.meta"'
+        ).fetch1("file_path")
+    )
 
     try:
         spikeglx_meta_filepath = find_full_path(get_ephys_root_data_dir(),