diff --git a/fast/stages/00-bootstrap/README.md b/fast/stages/00-bootstrap/README.md
index 3842aa07..85552a62 100644
--- a/fast/stages/00-bootstrap/README.md
+++ b/fast/stages/00-bootstrap/README.md
@@ -324,9 +324,9 @@ Names used in internal references (e.g. `module.foo-prod.id`) are only used by T
 
 | name | description | sensitive | consumers |
 |---|---|:---:|---|
-| [billing_dataset](outputs.tf#L85) | BigQuery dataset prepared for billing export. |  |  |
-| [project_ids](outputs.tf#L90) | Projects created by this stage. |  |  |
-| [providers](outputs.tf#L101) | Terraform provider files for this stage and dependent stages. | ✓ | <code>stage-01</code> |
-| [tfvars](outputs.tf#L110) | Terraform variable files for the following stages. | ✓ |  |
+| [billing_dataset](outputs.tf#L86) | BigQuery dataset prepared for billing export. |  |  |
+| [project_ids](outputs.tf#L91) | Projects created by this stage. |  |  |
+| [providers](outputs.tf#L102) | Terraform provider files for this stage and dependent stages. | ✓ | <code>stage-01</code> |
+| [tfvars](outputs.tf#L111) | Terraform variable files for the following stages. | ✓ |  |
 
 <!-- END TFDOC -->
diff --git a/fast/stages/00-bootstrap/outputs.tf b/fast/stages/00-bootstrap/outputs.tf
index 8912fb87..58ae4305 100644
--- a/fast/stages/00-bootstrap/outputs.tf
+++ b/fast/stages/00-bootstrap/outputs.tf
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  */
 
 locals {
+  outputs_location = pathexpand(var.outputs_location)
   providers = {
     "00-bootstrap" = templatefile("${path.module}/../../assets/templates/providers.tpl", {
       bucket = module.automation-tf-bootstrap-gcs.name
@@ -70,13 +71,13 @@ locals {
 
 resource "local_file" "providers" {
   for_each = var.outputs_location == null ? {} : local.providers
-  filename = "${var.outputs_location}/${each.key}/providers.tf"
+  filename = "${local.outputs_location}/${each.key}/providers.tf"
   content  = each.value
 }
 
 resource "local_file" "tfvars" {
   for_each = var.outputs_location == null ? {} : local.tfvars
-  filename = "${var.outputs_location}/${each.key}/terraform-bootstrap.auto.tfvars.json"
+  filename = "${local.outputs_location}/${each.key}/terraform-bootstrap.auto.tfvars.json"
   content  = each.value
 }
 
diff --git a/fast/stages/01-resman/README.md b/fast/stages/01-resman/README.md
index e39cf3d2..8348cc31 100644
--- a/fast/stages/01-resman/README.md
+++ b/fast/stages/01-resman/README.md
@@ -177,12 +177,12 @@ Due to its simplicity, this stage lends itself easily to customizations: adding
 
 | name | description | sensitive | consumers |
 |---|---|:---:|---|
-| [networking](outputs.tf#L83) | Data for the networking stage. |  | <code>02-networking</code> |
-| [project_factories](outputs.tf#L93) | Data for the project factories stage. |  | <code>xx-teams</code> |
-| [providers](outputs.tf#L110) | Terraform provider files for this stage and dependent stages. | ✓ | <code>02-networking</code> · <code>02-security</code> · <code>xx-sandbox</code> · <code>xx-teams</code> |
-| [sandbox](outputs.tf#L117) | Data for the sandbox stage. |  | <code>xx-sandbox</code> |
-| [security](outputs.tf#L127) | Data for the networking stage. |  | <code>02-security</code> |
-| [teams](outputs.tf#L137) | Data for the teams stage. |  |  |
-| [tfvars](outputs.tf#L150) | Terraform variable files for the following stages. | ✓ |  |
+| [networking](outputs.tf#L84) | Data for the networking stage. |  | <code>02-networking</code> |
+| [project_factories](outputs.tf#L94) | Data for the project factories stage. |  | <code>xx-teams</code> |
+| [providers](outputs.tf#L111) | Terraform provider files for this stage and dependent stages. | ✓ | <code>02-networking</code> · <code>02-security</code> · <code>xx-sandbox</code> · <code>xx-teams</code> |
+| [sandbox](outputs.tf#L118) | Data for the sandbox stage. |  | <code>xx-sandbox</code> |
+| [security](outputs.tf#L128) | Data for the networking stage. |  | <code>02-security</code> |
+| [teams](outputs.tf#L138) | Data for the teams stage. |  |  |
+| [tfvars](outputs.tf#L151) | Terraform variable files for the following stages. | ✓ |  |
 
 <!-- END TFDOC -->
diff --git a/fast/stages/01-resman/outputs.tf b/fast/stages/01-resman/outputs.tf
index ef44c4ad..9a7ad157 100644
--- a/fast/stages/01-resman/outputs.tf
+++ b/fast/stages/01-resman/outputs.tf
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ locals {
     dev  = module.branch-teams-dev-projectfactory-sa.iam_email
     prod = module.branch-teams-prod-projectfactory-sa.iam_email
   }
+  outputs_location = pathexpand(var.outputs_location)
   providers = {
     "02-networking" = templatefile("${path.module}/../../assets/templates/providers.tpl", {
       bucket = module.branch-network-gcs.name
@@ -68,13 +69,13 @@ locals {
 
 resource "local_file" "providers" {
   for_each = var.outputs_location == null ? {} : local.providers
-  filename = "${var.outputs_location}/${each.key}/providers.tf"
+  filename = "${local.outputs_location}/${each.key}/providers.tf"
   content  = each.value
 }
 
 resource "local_file" "tfvars" {
   for_each = var.outputs_location == null ? {} : local.tfvars
-  filename = "${var.outputs_location}/${each.key}/terraform-resman.auto.tfvars.json"
+  filename = "${local.outputs_location}/${each.key}/terraform-resman.auto.tfvars.json"
   content  = each.value
 }
 
diff --git a/fast/stages/02-networking-nva/README.md b/fast/stages/02-networking-nva/README.md
index 1ffc4d0c..16a989c2 100644
--- a/fast/stages/02-networking-nva/README.md
+++ b/fast/stages/02-networking-nva/README.md
@@ -340,11 +340,11 @@ Don't forget to add a peering zone in the landing project and point it to the ne
 
 | name | description | sensitive | consumers |
 |---|---|:---:|---|
-| [project_ids](outputs.tf#L42) | Network project ids. |  |  |
-| [project_numbers](outputs.tf#L51) | Network project numbers. |  |  |
-| [shared_vpc_host_projects](outputs.tf#L60) | Shared VPC host projects. |  |  |
-| [shared_vpc_self_links](outputs.tf#L69) | Shared VPC host projects. |  |  |
-| [tfvars](outputs.tf#L93) | Network-related variables used in other stages. | ✓ |  |
-| [vpn_gateway_endpoints](outputs.tf#L79) | External IP Addresses for the GCP VPN gateways. |  |  |
+| [project_ids](outputs.tf#L43) | Network project ids. |  |  |
+| [project_numbers](outputs.tf#L52) | Network project numbers. |  |  |
+| [shared_vpc_host_projects](outputs.tf#L61) | Shared VPC host projects. |  |  |
+| [shared_vpc_self_links](outputs.tf#L70) | Shared VPC host projects. |  |  |
+| [tfvars](outputs.tf#L94) | Network-related variables used in other stages. | ✓ |  |
+| [vpn_gateway_endpoints](outputs.tf#L80) | External IP Addresses for the GCP VPN gateways. |  |  |
 
 <!-- END TFDOC -->
diff --git a/fast/stages/02-networking-nva/outputs.tf b/fast/stages/02-networking-nva/outputs.tf
index 39c5d2ef..dc6b37b4 100644
--- a/fast/stages/02-networking-nva/outputs.tf
+++ b/fast/stages/02-networking-nva/outputs.tf
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 # Optionally, generate providers and tfvars files for subsequent stages
 
 locals {
+  outputs_location = pathexpand(var.outputs_location)
   tfvars = {
     "03-project-factory-dev" = jsonencode({
       environment_dns_zone = module.dev-dns-private-zone.domain
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ locals {
 
 resource "local_file" "tfvars" {
   for_each = var.outputs_location == null ? {} : local.tfvars
-  filename = "${var.outputs_location}/${each.key}/terraform-networking.auto.tfvars.json"
+  filename = "${local.outputs_location}/${each.key}/terraform-networking.auto.tfvars.json"
   content  = each.value
 }
 
diff --git a/fast/stages/02-networking-vpn/README.md b/fast/stages/02-networking-vpn/README.md
index e6cb4fe4..e7df068d 100644
--- a/fast/stages/02-networking-vpn/README.md
+++ b/fast/stages/02-networking-vpn/README.md
@@ -328,12 +328,12 @@ DNS configurations are centralised in the `dns.tf` file. Spokes delegate DNS res
 
 | name | description | sensitive | consumers |
 |---|---|:---:|---|
-| [cloud_dns_inbound_policy](outputs.tf#L41) | IP Addresses for Cloud DNS inbound policy. |  |  |
-| [project_ids](outputs.tf#L46) | Network project ids. |  |  |
-| [project_numbers](outputs.tf#L55) | Network project numbers. |  |  |
-| [shared_vpc_host_projects](outputs.tf#L64) | Shared VPC host projects. |  |  |
-| [shared_vpc_self_links](outputs.tf#L74) | Shared VPC host projects. |  |  |
-| [tfvars](outputs.tf#L91) | Network-related variables used in other stages. | ✓ |  |
-| [vpn_gateway_endpoints](outputs.tf#L84) | External IP Addresses for the GCP VPN gateways. |  |  |
+| [cloud_dns_inbound_policy](outputs.tf#L42) | IP Addresses for Cloud DNS inbound policy. |  |  |
+| [project_ids](outputs.tf#L47) | Network project ids. |  |  |
+| [project_numbers](outputs.tf#L56) | Network project numbers. |  |  |
+| [shared_vpc_host_projects](outputs.tf#L65) | Shared VPC host projects. |  |  |
+| [shared_vpc_self_links](outputs.tf#L75) | Shared VPC host projects. |  |  |
+| [tfvars](outputs.tf#L92) | Network-related variables used in other stages. | ✓ |  |
+| [vpn_gateway_endpoints](outputs.tf#L85) | External IP Addresses for the GCP VPN gateways. |  |  |
 
 <!-- END TFDOC -->
diff --git a/fast/stages/02-networking-vpn/outputs.tf b/fast/stages/02-networking-vpn/outputs.tf
index 4efe9bc6..894f112f 100644
--- a/fast/stages/02-networking-vpn/outputs.tf
+++ b/fast/stages/02-networking-vpn/outputs.tf
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 # optionally generate providers and tfvars files for subsequent stages
 
 locals {
+  outputs_location = pathexpand(var.outputs_location)
   tfvars = {
     "03-project-factory-dev" = jsonencode({
       environment_dns_zone = module.dev-dns-private-zone.domain
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ locals {
 
 resource "local_file" "tfvars" {
   for_each = var.outputs_location == null ? {} : local.tfvars
-  filename = "${var.outputs_location}/${each.key}/terraform-networking.auto.tfvars.json"
+  filename = "${local.outputs_location}/${each.key}/terraform-networking.auto.tfvars.json"
   content  = each.value
 }
 
diff --git a/fast/stages/02-security/README.md b/fast/stages/02-security/README.md
index 621db3e9..43049419 100644
--- a/fast/stages/02-security/README.md
+++ b/fast/stages/02-security/README.md
@@ -306,6 +306,6 @@ Some references that might be useful in setting up this stage:
 
 | name | description | sensitive | consumers |
 |---|---|:---:|---|
-| [stage_perimeter_projects](outputs.tf#L37) | Security project numbers. They can be added to perimeter resources. |  |  |
+| [stage_perimeter_projects](outputs.tf#L40) | Security project numbers. They can be added to perimeter resources. |  |  |
 
 <!-- END TFDOC -->
diff --git a/fast/stages/02-security/outputs.tf b/fast/stages/02-security/outputs.tf
index 8f296d86..a1404835 100644
--- a/fast/stages/02-security/outputs.tf
+++ b/fast/stages/02-security/outputs.tf
@@ -15,10 +15,13 @@
  */
 
 # optionally generate files for subsequent stages
+locals {
+  outputs_location = pathexpand(var.outputs_location)
+}
 
 resource "local_file" "dev_sec_kms" {
   for_each = var.outputs_location == null ? {} : { 1 = 1 }
-  filename = "${var.outputs_location}/yamls/02-security-kms-dev-keys.yaml"
+  filename = "${local.outputs_location}/yamls/02-security-kms-dev-keys.yaml"
   content = yamlencode({
     for k, m in module.dev-sec-kms : k => m.key_ids
   })
@@ -26,7 +29,7 @@ resource "local_file" "dev_sec_kms" {
 
 resource "local_file" "prod_sec_kms" {
   for_each = var.outputs_location == null ? {} : { 1 = 1 }
-  filename = "${var.outputs_location}/yamls/02-security-kms-prod-keys.yaml"
+  filename = "${local.outputs_location}/yamls/02-security-kms-prod-keys.yaml"
   content = yamlencode({
     for k, m in module.prod-sec-kms : k => m.key_ids
   })