diff --git a/src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/module/project/operator.py b/src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/module/project/operator.py
index 0f14285f32..d4e535a3a9 100644
--- a/src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/module/project/operator.py
+++ b/src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/module/project/operator.py
@@ -676,7 +676,11 @@ class LoadProject(bpy.types.Operator, IFCFileSelector):
         description="Load IFC file with advanced settings. Checking this option will skip loading IFC file and will open advanced load settings",
         default=False,
     )
-    use_relative_path: bpy.props.BoolProperty(name="Use Relative Path", default=False)
+    use_relative_path: bpy.props.BoolProperty(
+        name="Use Relative Path",
+        description="Store the IFC project path relative to the .blend file. Requires .blend file to be saved",
+        default=False,
+    )
     should_start_fresh_session: bpy.props.BoolProperty(
         name="Should Start Fresh Session",
         description="Clear current Blender session before loading IFC",
@@ -757,6 +761,7 @@ class LoadProject(bpy.types.Operator, IFCFileSelector):
     def finish_loading_project(self, context):
         try:
             if not self.is_existing_ifc_file():
+                self.report({"ERROR"}, f"Couldn't find IFC file: '{self.get_filepath()}'.")
                 return {"FINISHED"}
 
             if self.should_start_fresh_session and tool.Blender.is_default_scene():
@@ -767,12 +772,11 @@ class LoadProject(bpy.types.Operator, IFCFileSelector):
             if not self.is_advanced and not self.should_start_fresh_session:
                 bpy.ops.bim.convert_to_blender()
 
-            filepath = Path(self.get_filepath())
-            context.scene.BIMProperties.ifc_file = filepath.as_posix()
+            context.scene.BIMProperties.ifc_file = self.get_filepath()
             context.scene.BIMProjectProperties.is_loading = True
             context.scene.BIMProjectProperties.total_elements = len(tool.Ifc.get().by_type("IfcElement"))
             tool.Blender.register_toolbar()
-            tool.Project.add_recent_ifc_project(filepath.absolute())
+            tool.Project.add_recent_ifc_project(self.get_filepath_abs())
 
             if self.is_advanced:
                 pass
diff --git a/src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/ui.py b/src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/ui.py
index 1b5b2fef91..a5416e4a24 100644
--- a/src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/ui.py
+++ b/src/bonsai/bonsai/bim/ui.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ from typing import Optional
 
 class IFCFileSelector:
     filepath: str
+    use_relative_path: bool
 
     def is_existing_ifc_file(self, filepath: Optional[str] = None) -> bool:
         """Check if file path exists and if it's an IFC file.
@@ -46,16 +47,26 @@ class IFCFileSelector:
         If `filepath` is not provided, will use filepath property from the current operator.
         """
         if filepath is None:
-            filepath = self.filepath
-        return os.path.exists(filepath) and "ifc" in os.path.splitext(filepath)[1].lower()
+            path = self.get_filepath_abs()
+        else:
+            path = Path(filepath)
+        return path.exists() and "ifc" in path.suffix.lower()
+
+    def get_filepath_abs(self) -> Path:
+        # self.filepath filled by fileselect_add is absolute
+        # but we support relative paths provided by custom scripts.
+        filepath = Path(self.filepath)
+        if not filepath.is_absolute():
+            filepath = Path(bpy.path.abspath("//")) / filepath
+        return filepath
 
     def get_filepath(self) -> str:
         """get filepath taking into account relative paths"""
+        filepath = self.get_filepath_abs()
+
         if self.use_relative_path:
-            filepath = os.path.relpath(self.filepath, bpy.path.abspath("//"))
-        else:
-            filepath = self.filepath
-        return filepath
+            filepath = filepath.relative_to(bpy.path.abspath("//"))
+        return filepath.as_posix()
 
     def draw(self, context):
         # Access filepath & Directory https://blender.stackexchange.com/a/207665