diff --git a/nextflow_schema.json b/nextflow_schema.json
index 82303a4..e93113e 100644
--- a/nextflow_schema.json
+++ b/nextflow_schema.json
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@
                 "oma_path": {
                     "type": "string",
                     "format": "path",
+                    "exists": true,
                     "description": "Path to the OMA database.",
                     "help_text": "If `local_databases` is set to `true`, the pipeline will use this path to the OMA database.",
                     "fa_icon": "fas fa-database"
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@
                 "oma_uniprot_path": {
                     "type": "string",
                     "format": "path",
+                    "exists": true,
                     "description": "Path to the Uniprot-OMA ID map.",
                     "help_text": "If `local_databases` is set to `true`, the pipeline will use this path to the OMA-Uniprot ID map.",
                     "fa_icon": "fas fa-database"
@@ -94,6 +96,7 @@
                 "oma_ensembl_path": {
                     "type": "string",
                     "format": "path",
+                    "exists": true,
                     "description": "Path to the Ensembl-OMA ID map.",
                     "help_text": "If `local_databases` is set to `true`, the pipeline will use this path to the OMA-Ensembl ID map.",
                     "fa_icon": "fas fa-database"
@@ -101,6 +104,7 @@
                 "oma_refseq_path": {
                     "type": "string",
                     "format": "path",
+                    "exists": true,
                     "description": "Path to the RefSeq-OMA ID map.",
                     "help_text": "If `local_databases` is set to `true`, the pipeline will use this path to the OMA-RefSeq ID map.",
                     "fa_icon": "fas fa-database"
@@ -115,6 +119,7 @@
                 "panther_path": {
                     "type": "string",
                     "format": "path",
+                    "exists": true,
                     "description": "Path to the PANTHER database.",
                     "help_text": "If `local_databases` is set to `true`, the pipeline will use this path to the PANTHER database.",
                     "fa_icon": "fas fa-database"
@@ -136,6 +141,7 @@
                 "orthoinspector_path": {
                     "type": "string",
                     "format": "path",
+                    "exists": true,
                     "description": "Path to the OrthoInspector database.",
                     "help_text": "If `local_databases` is set to `true`, the pipeline will use this path to the OrthoInspector database.",
                     "fa_icon": "fas fa-database"
@@ -150,6 +156,7 @@
                 "eggnog_path": {
                     "type": "string",
                     "format": "path",
+                    "exists": true,
                     "description": "Path to the EggNOG database.",
                     "help_text": "If `local_databases` is set to `true`, the pipeline will use this path to the EggNOG database.",
                     "fa_icon": "fas fa-database"
@@ -157,6 +164,7 @@
                 "eggnog_idmap_path": {
                     "type": "string",
                     "format": "path",
+                    "exists": true,
                     "description": "Path to the EggNOG ID map.",
                     "help_text": "If `local_databases` is set to `true`, the pipeline will use this path to the EggNOG ID map.",
                     "fa_icon": "fas fa-database"
diff --git a/subworkflows/local/get_orthologs.nf b/subworkflows/local/get_orthologs.nf
index 22c0472..f94d36e 100644
--- a/subworkflows/local/get_orthologs.nf
+++ b/subworkflows/local/get_orthologs.nf
@@ -25,8 +25,16 @@ workflow GET_ORTHOLOGS {
     ch_samplesheet_fasta
 
     main:
-    ch_versions    = Channel.empty()
-    ch_orthogroups = Channel.empty()
+    ch_versions     = Channel.empty()
+    ch_orthogroups  = Channel.empty()
+
+    ch_oma_groups   = params.oma_path ? Channel.value(file(params.oma_path)) : Channel.empty()
+    ch_oma_uniprot  = params.oma_uniprot_path ? Channel.value(file(params.oma_uniprot_path)) : Channel.empty()
+    ch_oma_ensembl  = params.oma_ensembl_path ? Channel.value(file(params.oma_ensembl_path)) : Channel.empty()
+    ch_oma_refseq   = params.oma_refseq_path ? Channel.value(file(params.oma_refseq_path)) : Channel.empty()
+    ch_panther      = params.panther_path ? Channel.value(file(params.panther_path)) : Channel.empty()
+    ch_eggnog       = params.eggnog_path ? Channel.value(file(params.eggnog_path)) : Channel.empty()
+    ch_eggnog_idmap = params.eggnog_idmap_path ? Channel.value(file(params.eggnog_idmap_path)) : Channel.empty()
 
     fasta_input = true
     ch_samplesheet_fasta.ifEmpty {
@@ -69,10 +77,10 @@ workflow GET_ORTHOLOGS {
         if (params.local_databases) {
             FETCH_OMA_GROUP_LOCAL (
                 ch_query,
-                params.oma_path,
-                params.oma_uniprot_path,
-                params.oma_ensembl_path,
-                params.oma_refseq_path
+                ch_oma_groups,
+                ch_oma_uniprot,
+                ch_oma_ensembl,
+                ch_oma_refseq
             )
 
             ch_orthogroups
@@ -96,7 +104,7 @@ workflow GET_ORTHOLOGS {
         if (params.local_databases) {
             FETCH_PANTHER_GROUP_LOCAL (
                 ch_query,
-                params.panther_path
+                ch_panther
             )
 
             ch_orthogroups
@@ -129,10 +137,10 @@ workflow GET_ORTHOLOGS {
 
         FETCH_EGGNOG_GROUP_LOCAL (
             ch_query,
-            params.eggnog_path,
-            params.eggnog_idmap_path,
-            params.oma_ensembl_path,
-            params.oma_refseq_path,
+            ch_eggnog,
+            ch_eggnog_idmap,
+            ch_oma_ensembl,
+            ch_oma_refseq,
             params.offline_run
         )
 
@@ -148,10 +156,10 @@ workflow GET_ORTHOLOGS {
             if (!params.skip_oma) {
                 FETCH_OMA_GROUP_LOCAL (
                     ch_query,
-                    params.oma_path,
-                    params.oma_uniprot_path,
-                    params.oma_ensembl_path,
-                    params.oma_refseq_path
+                    ch_oma_groups,
+                    ch_oma_uniprot,
+                    ch_oma_ensembl,
+                    ch_oma_refseq
                 )
 
                 ch_orthogroups
@@ -164,7 +172,7 @@ workflow GET_ORTHOLOGS {
             if (!params.skip_panther) {
                 FETCH_PANTHER_GROUP_LOCAL (
                     ch_query,
-                    params.panther_path
+                    ch_panther
                 )
 
                 ch_orthogroups
@@ -177,10 +185,10 @@ workflow GET_ORTHOLOGS {
             if(!params.skip_eggnog) {
                 FETCH_EGGNOG_GROUP_LOCAL (
                     ch_query,
-                    params.eggnog_path,
-                    params.eggnog_idmap_path,
-                    params.oma_ensembl_path,
-                    params.oma_refseq_path,
+                    ch_eggnog,
+                    ch_eggnog_idmap,
+                    ch_oma_ensembl,
+                    ch_oma_refseq,
                     params.offline_run
                 )