diff --git a/utils/client_test.go b/utils/client_test.go
index 44358f9af..38bef2ca4 100644
--- a/utils/client_test.go
+++ b/utils/client_test.go
@@ -254,6 +254,14 @@ func TestUrlWithFederation(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, pelUrl, str)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("testFederationNoHost", func(t *testing.T) {
+		viper.Set(param.Federation_DiscoveryUrl.GetName(), "somefederation.org")
+		namespaceOnly := "/namespace/test.txt"
+		str, err := UrlWithFederation(namespaceOnly)
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, pelUrl, str)
+	})
+
 	t.Run("testFederationWithFedHost", func(t *testing.T) {
 		viper.Set(param.Federation_DiscoveryUrl.GetName(), "https://somefederation.org")
 		namespaceOnly := "/namespace/test.txt"
@@ -269,4 +277,12 @@ func TestUrlWithFederation(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Error(t, err)
 		assert.EqualError(t, err, fmt.Sprintf("provided federation url %s has a path component", param.Federation_DiscoveryUrl.GetString()))
 	})
+
+	t.Run("testFederationPathComponentWithHost", func(t *testing.T) {
+		viper.Set(param.Federation_DiscoveryUrl.GetName(), "https://somefederation.org/path")
+		namespaceOnly := "/namespace/test.txt"
+		_, err := UrlWithFederation(namespaceOnly)
+		assert.Error(t, err)
+		assert.EqualError(t, err, fmt.Sprintf("provided federation url %s has a path component", param.Federation_DiscoveryUrl.GetString()))
+	})
 }
diff --git a/utils/utils.go b/utils/utils.go
index d1d3654fd..a2d3464f1 100644
--- a/utils/utils.go
+++ b/utils/utils.go
@@ -149,6 +149,11 @@ func UrlWithFederation(remoteUrl string) (string, error) {
 			newErr := errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("error parsing discovery url: %s", err))
 			return remoteUrl, newErr
 		}
+		if parsedDiscUrl.Scheme == "" {
+			parsedDiscUrl.Scheme = "https"
+			updatedDiscString := parsedDiscUrl.String()
+			parsedDiscUrl, _ = url.Parse(updatedDiscString)
+		}
 		if parsedDiscUrl.Path != "" {
 			newErr := errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("provided federation url %s has a path component", param.Federation_DiscoveryUrl.GetString()))
 			return remoteUrl, newErr