diff --git a/rex/resource.py b/rex/resource.py
index 211cca8d..f570c931 100644
--- a/rex/resource.py
+++ b/rex/resource.py
@@ -1200,7 +1200,7 @@ def is_hsds_file(file_path):
         """
         if isinstance(file_path, (list, tuple)):
             file_path = file_path[0]
-        return file_path.startswith('/nrel/')
+        return str(file_path).startswith('/nrel/')
 
     @staticmethod
     def is_s3_file(file_path):
@@ -1218,7 +1218,7 @@ def is_s3_file(file_path):
         """
         if isinstance(file_path, (list, tuple)):
             file_path = file_path[0]
-        return file_path.startswith('s3://')
+        return str(file_path).startswith('s3://')
 
     def get_attrs(self, dset=None):
         """