diff --git a/hydrolib/core/basemodel.py b/hydrolib/core/basemodel.py
index 8ab92d2d6..29e398fd9 100644
--- a/hydrolib/core/basemodel.py
+++ b/hydrolib/core/basemodel.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
     Tuple,
     Type,
     TypeVar,
+    Union,
 )
 from weakref import WeakValueDictionary
 
@@ -673,16 +674,17 @@ class FileModel(BaseModel, ABC):
     # Absolute anchor is used to resolve the save location when the filepath is relative.
     _absolute_anchor_path: Path = PrivateAttr(default_factory=Path.cwd)
 
-    def __new__(cls, filepath: Optional[Path] = None, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __new__(cls, filepath: Optional[Union[Path,str]] = None, *args, **kwargs):
         """Create a new model.
         If the file at the provided file path was already parsed, this instance is returned.
 
         Args:
-            filepath (Optional[Path], optional): The file path to the file. Defaults to None.
+            filepath (Optional[Union[Path,str]], optional): The file path to the file. Defaults to None.
 
         Returns:
             FileModel: A file model.
         """
+        filepath = FileModel._change_to_path(filepath)
         with file_load_context() as context:
             if (file_model := context.retrieve_model(filepath)) is not None:
                 return file_model
@@ -691,7 +693,7 @@ def __new__(cls, filepath: Optional[Path] = None, *args, **kwargs):
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        filepath: Optional[Path] = None,
+        filepath: Optional[Union[Path,str]] = None,
         resolve_casing: bool = False,
         recurse: bool = True,
         *args,
@@ -704,7 +706,7 @@ def __init__(
         If the filepath is provided, it is read from disk.
 
         Args:
-            filepath (Optional[Path], optional): The file path. Defaults to None.
+            filepath (Optional[Union[Path,str]], optional): The file path. Defaults to None.
             resolve_casing (bool, optional): Whether or not to resolve the file name references so that they match the case with what is on disk. Defaults to False.
             recurse (bool, optional): Whether or not to recursively load the model. Defaults to True.
         """
@@ -712,6 +714,8 @@ def __init__(
             super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
             return
 
+        filepath = FileModel._change_to_path(filepath)
+
         with file_load_context() as context:
             context.initialize_load_settings(recurse, resolve_casing)
 
@@ -1011,6 +1015,19 @@ def _load(self, filepath: Path) -> Dict:
 
     def __str__(self) -> str:
         return str(self.filepath if self.filepath else "")
+    
+    @staticmethod
+    def _change_to_path(filepath):
+        if filepath is None:
+            return filepath        
+        if isinstance(filepath, Path):
+            return filepath
+        else:
+            return Path(filepath)
+
+    @validator("filepath")
+    def _conform_filepath_to_hydrolib_standard(cls, value):
+        return FileModel._change_to_path(value)
 
 
 class SerializerConfig(BaseModel, ABC):
diff --git a/tests/test_basemodel.py b/tests/test_basemodel.py
index dc4115cda..01adda04c 100644
--- a/tests/test_basemodel.py
+++ b/tests/test_basemodel.py
@@ -314,6 +314,49 @@ def test_initialize_model_with_resolve_casing_updates_file_references_recursivel
         )
 
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("given_path", "expected_path"),
+        [
+            pytest.param
+            (
+                Path("test/path"), Path("test/path")
+            ),
+            pytest.param
+            (
+                "test/path", Path("test/path")
+            ),
+            pytest.param
+            (
+                None,None
+            ),
+        ],
+    )
+    def test_setting_filepath(self, given_path, expected_path):
+        model = FMModel()
+        model.filepath = given_path
+        assert model.filepath == expected_path
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("given_path", "expected_path"),
+        [
+            pytest.param
+            (
+                f"{test_input_dir}/file_load_test/fm.mdu", Path(f"{test_input_dir}/file_load_test/fm.mdu")
+            ),
+            pytest.param
+            (
+                Path(f"{test_input_dir}/file_load_test/fm.mdu"), Path(f"{test_input_dir}/file_load_test/fm.mdu")
+            ),
+            pytest.param
+            (
+                None,None
+            ),
+        ],
+    )
+    def test_constuctor_filepath(self, given_path, expected_path):
+        model = FMModel(given_path)
+        assert model.filepath == expected_path
+
 class TestContextManagerFileLoadContext:
     def test_context_is_created_and_disposed_properly(self):
         assert context_file_loading.get(None) is None