diff --git a/src/pytroll_watchers/local_watcher.py b/src/pytroll_watchers/local_watcher.py
index b6de7f4..80e0426 100644
--- a/src/pytroll_watchers/local_watcher.py
+++ b/src/pytroll_watchers/local_watcher.py
@@ -8,10 +8,13 @@
 from urllib.parse import urlunparse
 
 from upath import UPath
+from upath._flavour import WrappedFileSystemFlavour
 
 from pytroll_watchers.backends.local import listen_to_local_events
 from pytroll_watchers.publisher import SecurityError, file_publisher_from_generator, parse_metadata
 
+# This is a workaround for a but in universal_pathlib, see
+WrappedFileSystemFlavour.protocol_config["netloc_is_anchor"].add("ssh")
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -72,7 +75,7 @@ def file_generator(directory, observer_type="os", file_pattern=None, protocol=No
             except ValueError:
                 continue
             if protocol is not None:
-                uri = urlunparse((protocol, None, path, None, None, None))
+                uri = urlunparse((protocol, None, str(path), None, None, None))
                 yield UPath(uri, **storage_options), file_metadata
             else:
                 yield Path(path), file_metadata
diff --git a/tests/test_main_interface.py b/tests/test_main_interface.py
index 144a7f0..7da22c5 100644
--- a/tests/test_main_interface.py
+++ b/tests/test_main_interface.py
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 """Tests for the gathered publisher functions."""
 
+import json
 import logging
+from unittest import mock
 
 import pytest
 import yaml
+from posttroll.message import Message
 from posttroll.testing import patched_publisher
 from pytroll_watchers.local_watcher import file_generator as local_generator
 from pytroll_watchers.local_watcher import file_publisher as local_publisher
@@ -16,6 +19,7 @@
 from pytroll_watchers.minio_notification_watcher import file_generator as minio_generator
 from pytroll_watchers.minio_notification_watcher import file_publisher as minio_publisher
 from pytroll_watchers.testing import patched_bucket_listener, patched_local_events  # noqa
+from upath import UPath
 
 
 def test_getting_right_publisher():
@@ -54,6 +58,33 @@ def test_pass_config_to_file_publisher_for_local_backend(tmp_path, patched_local
             assert str(filename) in msgs[0]
 
 
+def test_pass_config_to_file_publisher_for_local_backend_with_protocol(tmp_path, patched_local_events, monkeypatch):  # noqa
+    """Test passing a config to create a file publisher from a local fs with protocol."""
+    new_fs = mock.Mock()
+    host = "myhost.pytroll.org"
+    fs = dict(cls="fsspec.implementations.sftp.SFTPFileSystem",
+              protocol="sftp",
+              args=[],
+              host=host)
+    new_fs.to_json.return_value = json.dumps(fs)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(UPath, "fs", new_fs)
+    local_settings = dict(directory=tmp_path, protocol="ssh", storage_options=dict(host=host))
+    publisher_settings = dict(nameservers=False, port=1979)
+    message_settings = dict(subject="/segment/viirs/l1b/", atype="file", data=dict(sensor="viirs"))
+    config = dict(backend="local",
+                  fs_config=local_settings,
+                  publisher_config=publisher_settings,
+                  message_config=message_settings)
+    with patched_publisher() as msgs:
+        filename = tmp_path / "bla"
+        with patched_local_events([filename]):
+            publish_from_config(config)
+            assert len(msgs) == 1
+            msg = Message.decode(msgs[0])
+            assert msg.data["path"] == str(filename)
+
+
+
 def test_pass_config_to_object_publisher_for_minio_backend(patched_bucket_listener):  # noqa
     """Test passing a config to create an objec publisher from minio bucket."""
     s3_settings = dict(endpoint_url="someendpoint",