diff --git a/ctapipe/io/hdf5merger.py b/ctapipe/io/hdf5merger.py
index b34e296280f..f8c6ca7aca7 100644
--- a/ctapipe/io/hdf5merger.py
+++ b/ctapipe/io/hdf5merger.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 from ..instrument.subarray import SubarrayDescription
 from ..utils.arrays import recarray_drop_columns
 from . import metadata
-from .hdf5tableio import DEFAULT_FILTERS, get_column_attrs, get_node_meta
+from .hdf5tableio import DEFAULT_FILTERS, get_column_attrs, get_node_meta, split_h5path
 
 
 class NodeType(enum.Enum):
@@ -78,20 +78,6 @@ class CannotMerge(IOError):
     """Raised when trying to merge incompatible files"""
 
 
-def split_h5path(path):
-    """
-    Split a path inside an hdf5 file into parent / child
-    """
-    if not path.startswith("/"):
-        raise ValueError("Path must start with /")
-
-    head, _, tail = path.rstrip("/").rpartition("/")
-    if head == "":
-        head = "/"
-
-    return head, tail
-
-
 class HDF5Merger(Component):
     """
     Class to copy / append / merge ctapipe hdf5 files
diff --git a/ctapipe/io/hdf5tableio.py b/ctapipe/io/hdf5tableio.py
index 606b3092b34..d54dbcad644 100644
--- a/ctapipe/io/hdf5tableio.py
+++ b/ctapipe/io/hdf5tableio.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     TimeColumnTransform,
 )
 
-__all__ = ["HDF5TableWriter", "HDF5TableReader"]
+__all__ = ["HDF5TableWriter", "HDF5TableReader", "split_h5path"]
 
 PYTABLES_TYPE_MAP = {
     "float": tables.Float64Col,
@@ -48,6 +48,20 @@
 )
 
 
+def split_h5path(path):
+    """
+    Split a path inside an hdf5 file into parent / child
+    """
+    if not path.startswith("/"):
+        raise ValueError("Path must start with /")
+
+    head, _, tail = path.rstrip("/").rpartition("/")
+    if head == "":
+        head = "/"
+
+    return head, tail
+
+
 def get_hdf5_attr(attrs, name, default=None):
     if name in attrs:
         return attrs[name]
@@ -390,10 +404,8 @@ def _setup_new_table(self, table_name, containers):
         if table_name.startswith("/"):
             raise ValueError("Table name must not start with '/'")
 
-        table_path = PurePath(self._group) / PurePath(table_name)
-        table_group = str(table_path.parent)
-        table_basename = table_path.stem
-        table_path = str(table_path)
+        table_path = f"{self._group.rstrip('/')}/{table_name}"
+        table_group, table_basename = split_h5path(table_path)
 
         for container in containers:
             meta.update(container.meta)  # copy metadata from container
diff --git a/docs/changes/2319.bugfix.rst b/docs/changes/2319.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0058fe72e24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/changes/2319.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix HDF5Writer not working on windows due to using pathlib for hdf5 dataset names.