diff --git a/test/hl/common.py b/test/hl/common.py
index 9abccce..e313af1 100644
--- a/test/hl/common.py
+++ b/test/hl/common.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 import numpy as np
 import unittest as ut
+from platform import system
 
 
 # Check if non-ascii filenames are supported
@@ -242,18 +243,25 @@ def getPathFromDomain(self, domain):
         E.g. "mytest.h5pyd_test.hdfgroup.org" to
              "/org/hdfgroup/h5pyd_test/mytest
         """
-        if domain.find('/') > -1:
+        if (domain.find('/') > -1) or (domain.find(':') > -1):
             # looks like the domain already is specified as a path
             return domain
 
         names = domain.split('.')
         names.reverse()
-        path = '/'
+
+        # strip empty names
+        names = [name for name in names if name]
+
+        path = os.path.abspath(os.sep)
+
         for name in names:
-            if name:
-                path += name
-                path += '/'
-        path = path[:-1]  # strip trailing slash
+            path = os.path.join(path, name)
+
+        # strip trailing slash
+        if path[-1] == os.sep:
+            path = path[:-1]
+
         return path
 
     def is_hsds(self, id=None):