diff --git a/src/server/pfs/cmds/cmds.go b/src/server/pfs/cmds/cmds.go
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/src/server/pfs/cmds/cmds.go
+++ b/src/server/pfs/cmds/cmds.go
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ Files can be read from finished commits with get-file.`,
 		// try parsing the filename as a url, if it is one do a PutFileURL
 		if url, err := url.Parse(filePath); err == nil && url.Scheme != "" {
 			if len(args) < 3 {
-				return client.PutFileURL(args[0], args[1], url.Path, url.String())
+				return client.PutFileURL(args[0], args[1], strings.TrimPrefix(url.Path, "/"), url.String())
 			}
 			return client.PutFileURL(args[0], args[1], args[2], url.String())
 		}
Trim the / prefix for url puts.