diff --git a/src/main/java/org/embl/mobie/lib/data/ImageGridSources.java b/src/main/java/org/embl/mobie/lib/data/ImageGridSources.java
index 0b436fd3..48f52f33 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/embl/mobie/lib/data/ImageGridSources.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/embl/mobie/lib/data/ImageGridSources.java
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ else if ( isCellProfilerColumn( imageColumn, table ) )
 			for ( int rowIndex = 0; rowIndex < numRows; rowIndex++ )
 			{
 				String fileName = table.getString( rowIndex, imageColumn );
-				String folder = table.getString( rowIndex, folderColumn );
+				String folder = root != null ? root : table.getString( rowIndex, folderColumn );
 				String path = IOHelper.combinePath( folder, fileName );
 				String imageName = createImageName( channelIndex, fileName );
 				nameToFullPath.put( imageName, applyPathMapping( pathMapping, path ) );