diff --git a/floris/type_dec.py b/floris/type_dec.py
index 830f6c6ab..e2cec3ce6 100644
--- a/floris/type_dec.py
+++ b/floris/type_dec.py
@@ -85,8 +85,12 @@ def iter_validator(iter_type, item_types: Union[Any, Tuple[Any]]) -> Callable:
     return validator
 
 def convert_to_path(fn: str | Path) -> Path:
-    """Converts an input string or pathlib.Path object to a fully resolved ``pathlib.Path``
-    object.
+    """
+    Converts an input string or ``pathlib.Path`` object to a fully resolved ``pathlib.Path``
+    object. If the input is a string, it is converted to a pathlib.Path object.
+    The function then checks if the path exists as an absolute path, a relative path from
+    the script, or a relative path from the system location. If the path does not exist in
+    any of these locations, a FileExistsError is raised.
 
     Args:
         fn (str | Path): The user input file path or file name.
@@ -113,11 +117,11 @@ def convert_to_path(fn: str | Path) -> Path:
         absolute_fn = fn.resolve()
         relative_fn_script = (base_fn_script / fn).resolve()
         relative_fn_sys = (base_fn_sys / fn).resolve()
-        if absolute_fn.is_dir():
+        if absolute_fn.exists():
             return absolute_fn
-        if relative_fn_script.is_dir():
+        if relative_fn_script.exists():
             return relative_fn_script
-        if relative_fn_sys.is_dir():
+        if relative_fn_sys.exists():
             return relative_fn_sys
         raise FileExistsError(
             f"{fn} could not be found as either a\n"
diff --git a/tests/type_dec_unit_test.py b/tests/type_dec_unit_test.py
index 43bf5bc3a..df2c1b1ff 100644
--- a/tests/type_dec_unit_test.py
+++ b/tests/type_dec_unit_test.py
@@ -130,23 +130,36 @@ def test_attrs_array_converter():
 
 
 def test_convert_to_path():
-    # Test that a string works
     str_input = "../tests"
+    expected_path = (Path(__file__).parent / str_input).resolve()
+
+    # Test that a string works
     test_str_input = convert_to_path(str_input)
-    assert isinstance(test_str_input, Path)
+    assert test_str_input == expected_path
 
     # Test that a pathlib.Path works
-    path_input = Path("../tests")
+    path_input = Path(str_input)
     test_path_input = convert_to_path(path_input)
-    assert isinstance(test_path_input, Path)
+    assert test_path_input == expected_path
 
     # Test that both of those inputs are the same
+    # NOTE These first three asserts tests the relative path search
     assert test_str_input == test_path_input
 
-    # Test that a non-existent folder also works even though it's a valid data type
-    str_input = "tests"
-    test_str_input = convert_to_path(str_input)
-    assert isinstance(test_str_input, Path)
+    # Test absolute path
+    abs_path = expected_path
+    test_abs_path = convert_to_path(abs_path)
+    assert test_abs_path == expected_path
+
+    # Test a file
+    file_input = Path(__file__)
+    test_file = convert_to_path(file_input)
+    assert test_file == file_input
+
+    # Test that a non-existent folder fails, now that the conversion has a multi-pronged search
+    str_input = str(Path(__file__).parent / "bad_path")
+    with pytest.raises(FileExistsError):
+        convert_to_path(str_input)
 
     # Test that invalid data types fail
     with pytest.raises(TypeError):