diff --git a/fish/functions/esc_home.fish b/fish/functions/esc_home.fish
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5e8f3712
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fish/functions/esc_home.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env fish
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+# Copyright (C) 2024 Nathan Chancellor
+
+function esc_home -d "Replace $HOME with ~"
+    string replace $HOME \~ $argv
+end
diff --git a/fish/functions/rld.fish b/fish/functions/rld.fish
index b10df04b..8053ab82 100644
--- a/fish/functions/rld.fish
+++ b/fish/functions/rld.fish
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2021-2023 Nathan Chancellor
 
 function rld -d "Reload fish configuration"
-    fisher update $ENV_FOLDER/fish 1>/dev/null
+    fisher update (esc_home $ENV_FOLDER/fish) 1>/dev/null
     source $__fish_config_dir/config.fish
 end
diff --git a/fish/functions/upd.fish b/fish/functions/upd.fish
index 7b271b8b..196880b9 100644
--- a/fish/functions/upd.fish
+++ b/fish/functions/upd.fish
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ function upd -d "Runs the update command for the current distro or downloads/upd
                 continue
 
             case fisher
-                fisher update 1>/dev/null; or return
+                # Use output of 'fisher list' to ensure '~' stays escaped
+                fisher update (fisher list) 1>/dev/null; or return
                 continue
 
             case hydro
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ function upd -d "Runs the update command for the current distro or downloads/upd
                 end
                 switch $target
                     case hydro
-                        fisher update $repo 1>/dev/null; or return
+                        fisher update (esc_home $repo) 1>/dev/null; or return
                 end
 
             case forks
diff --git a/fish/functions/user_setup.fish b/fish/functions/user_setup.fish
index 52fccf15..2c989cb5 100644
--- a/fish/functions/user_setup.fish
+++ b/fish/functions/user_setup.fish
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ function user_setup -d "Setup a user account, downloading all files and placing
         set -a fisher_plugins jethrokuan/z
     end
     for fisher_plugin in $fisher_plugins
-        fisher install $fisher_plugin; or return
+        fisher install (esc_home $fisher_plugin); or return
     end
 
     # config.fish