diff --git a/scripts/acceptance/local-cluster.sh b/scripts/acceptance/local-cluster.sh
index 8ad4680..7150e14 100755
--- a/scripts/acceptance/local-cluster.sh
+++ b/scripts/acceptance/local-cluster.sh
@@ -411,11 +411,13 @@ up_cluster() {
     usage >&2
     exit 64
   }
-  local snapshot=$2
-  [[ -f $snapshot && ! -L $snapshot ]] || {
+  local snapshot_input=$2 snapshot_dir snapshot
+  [[ -f $snapshot_input && ! -L $snapshot_input ]] || {
     echo 'snapshot must be a regular non-symlink file' >&2
     exit 1
   }
+  snapshot_dir=$(cd "$(dirname "$snapshot_input")" && pwd -P)
+  snapshot="$snapshot_dir/$(basename "$snapshot_input")"
   [[ -z $(git -C "$repository_root" status --short) ]] || {
     echo 'local acceptance requires a clean source tree so report and image source are reproducible' >&2
     exit 1