diff --git a/libs/redpanda_qt_utils/qt_utils/utils.cpp b/libs/redpanda_qt_utils/qt_utils/utils.cpp
index 7de27767..3e8722dd 100644
--- a/libs/redpanda_qt_utils/qt_utils/utils.cpp
+++ b/libs/redpanda_qt_utils/qt_utils/utils.cpp
@@ -539,9 +539,9 @@ QString changeFileExt(const QString& filename, QString ext)
         path = includeTrailingPathDelimiter(fileInfo.path());
     }
     if (suffix.isEmpty()) {
-        return QFileInfo{path+name+ext}.absoluteFilePath();
+        return path+name+ext;
     } else {
-        return QFileInfo{path+fileInfo.completeBaseName()+ext}.absoluteFilePath();
+        return path+fileInfo.completeBaseName()+ext;
     }
 }