diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py
index 24e86813df..e40f136024 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py
@@ -844,14 +844,14 @@ class TaskParameters(DockerBaseClass):
             if ':' in vol:
                 if len(vol.split(':')) == 3:
                     host, container, mode = vol.split(':')
-                    if re.match(r'[\.~]', host):
-                        host = os.path.abspath(host)
+                    if re.match(r'[.~]', host):
+                        host = os.path.abspath(os.path.expanduser(host))
                     new_vols.append("%s:%s:%s" % (host, container, mode))
                     continue
                 elif len(vol.split(':')) == 2:
                     parts = vol.split(':')
-                    if parts[1] not in VOLUME_PERMISSIONS and re.match(r'[\.~]', parts[0]):
-                        host = os.path.abspath(parts[0])
+                    if parts[1] not in VOLUME_PERMISSIONS and re.match(r'[.~]', parts[0]):
+                        host = os.path.abspath(os.path.expanduser(parts[0]))
                         new_vols.append("%s:%s:rw" % (host, parts[1]))
                         continue
             new_vols.append(vol)
diff --git a/test/sanity/code-smell/use-argspec-type-path.py b/test/sanity/code-smell/use-argspec-type-path.py
index e0315f081a..4c23cb3820 100755
--- a/test/sanity/code-smell/use-argspec-type-path.py
+++ b/test/sanity/code-smell/use-argspec-type-path.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import sys
 def main():
     skip = set([
         # add legitimate uses of expanduser to the following list
+        'lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py',  # uses colon-separated paths, can't use type=path
         'lib/ansible/modules/cloud/lxc/lxc_container.py',
         'lib/ansible/modules/cloud/rackspace/rax_files_objects.py',
         'lib/ansible/modules/database/mongodb/mongodb_parameter.py',