diff --git a/crates/core/src/error.rs b/crates/core/src/error.rs
index 95ab754a..a14e9b16 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/error.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/error.rs
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ pub enum Error {
     #[error("invalid datetime: {0}")]
     InvalidDatetime(String),
 
+    /// A file path could not be converted to a URL.
+    #[error("invalid file path: {0}")]
+    InvalidFilePath(String),
+
     /// [std::io::Error]
     #[error(transparent)]
     Io(#[from] std::io::Error),
diff --git a/crates/core/src/href.rs b/crates/core/src/href.rs
index 6778e437..76d37708 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/href.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/href.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 //! Utilities and structures for working with hrefs.
 
-use crate::Result;
+use crate::{Error, Result};
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 use url::Url;
 
@@ -57,11 +57,21 @@ pub trait SelfHref {
     }
 }
 
+/// Returns `true` if the href looks like a Windows absolute path (e.g. `C:\foo` or `D:/bar`).
+pub fn is_windows_absolute_path(s: &str) -> bool {
+    let bytes = s.as_bytes();
+    bytes.len() >= 3
+        && bytes[0].is_ascii_alphabetic()
+        && bytes[1] == b':'
+        && (bytes[2] == b'\\' || bytes[2] == b'/')
+}
+
 /// Returns `true` if the href is absolute.
 ///
-/// An href is absolute if it can be parsed to a url or starts with a `/`.
+/// An href is absolute if it can be parsed to a url, starts with a `/`, or is
+/// a Windows absolute path.
 pub fn is_absolute(href: &str) -> bool {
-    Url::parse(href).is_ok() || href.starts_with('/')
+    is_windows_absolute_path(href) || Url::parse(href).is_ok() || href.starts_with('/')
 }
 
 /// Makes an href absolute relative to a base.
@@ -157,17 +167,15 @@ pub fn make_relative(href: &str, base: &str) -> String {
 ///
 /// Handles adding a `file://` prefix and making it absolute, if needed.
 pub fn make_url(href: &str) -> Result<Url> {
-    if let Ok(url) = Url::parse(href) {
+    if is_windows_absolute_path(href) || href.starts_with('/') {
+        Url::from_file_path(href).map_err(|_| Error::InvalidFilePath(href.to_string()))
+    } else if let Ok(url) = Url::parse(href) {
         Ok(url)
     } else {
-        let url = if href.starts_with("/") {
-            Url::parse(&format!("file://{href}"))
-        } else {
-            let current_dir = std::env::current_dir()?;
-            let url = make_url(&format!("{}/", current_dir.to_string_lossy()))?;
-            url.join(href)
-        }?;
-        Ok(url)
+        let current_dir = std::env::current_dir()?;
+        let url = Url::from_directory_path(&current_dir)
+            .map_err(|_| Error::InvalidFilePath(current_dir.to_string_lossy().into_owned()))?;
+        Ok(url.join(href)?)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/core/src/migrate.rs b/crates/core/src/migrate.rs
index 7ee51c71..f11cf766 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/migrate.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/migrate.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ use crate::{Error, Result, Version};
 use serde::{Serialize, de::DeserializeOwned};
 use serde_json::{Map, Value};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
+use url::Url;
 
 /// Migrates a STAC object from one version to another.
 pub trait Migrate: Sized + Serialize + DeserializeOwned + std::fmt::Debug {
@@ -193,16 +194,33 @@ fn migrate_bands(asset: &mut Map<String, Value>) -> Result<()> {
 fn migrate_links(object: &mut Map<String, Value>) {
     if let Some(links) = object.get_mut("links").and_then(|v| v.as_array_mut()) {
         for link in links {
-            if let Some(link) = link.as_object_mut()
-                && link
-                    .get("rel")
-                    .and_then(|v| v.as_str())
-                    .map(|s| s == "self")
-                    .unwrap_or_default()
-                && let Some(href) = link.get("href").and_then(|v| v.as_str())
-                && href.starts_with('/')
-            {
-                let _ = link.insert("href".to_string(), format!("file://{href}").into());
+            let is_self_link = link
+                .as_object()
+                .and_then(|l| l.get("rel"))
+                .and_then(|v| v.as_str())
+                .map(|s| s == "self")
+                .unwrap_or_default();
+            if !is_self_link {
+                continue;
+            }
+            let href = link
+                .as_object()
+                .and_then(|l| l.get("href"))
+                .and_then(|v| v.as_str())
+                .map(|s| s.to_string());
+            if let Some(href) = href {
+                let new_href = if href.starts_with('/') {
+                    Some(format!("file://{href}"))
+                } else if crate::href::is_windows_absolute_path(&href) {
+                    Url::from_file_path(&href).ok().map(|u| u.to_string())
+                } else {
+                    None
+                };
+                if let Some(new_href) = new_href {
+                    if let Some(link) = link.as_object_mut() {
+                        let _ = link.insert("href".to_string(), new_href.into());
+                    }
+                }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/crates/io/src/realized_href.rs b/crates/io/src/realized_href.rs
index 8ddcb5d9..9afc947f 100644
--- a/crates/io/src/realized_href.rs
+++ b/crates/io/src/realized_href.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ pub enum RealizedHref {
 
 impl From<&str> for RealizedHref {
     fn from(s: &str) -> RealizedHref {
+        if stac::href::is_windows_absolute_path(s) {
+            return RealizedHref::PathBuf(PathBuf::from(s));
+        }
         if let Ok(url) = Url::parse(s) {
             if url.scheme() == "file" {
                 url.to_file_path()
diff --git a/crates/io/src/store.rs b/crates/io/src/store.rs
index e0d77f15..26e15eeb 100644
--- a/crates/io/src/store.rs
+++ b/crates/io/src/store.rs
@@ -145,7 +145,9 @@ impl StacStore {
     }
 
     fn path(&self, href: &str) -> Result<Path> {
-        let result = if let Ok(url) = Url::parse(href) {
+        let result = if stac::href::is_windows_absolute_path(href) {
+            Path::parse(href)
+        } else if let Ok(url) = Url::parse(href) {
             // TODO check to see if the host and such match? or not?
             Path::from_url_path(url.path())
         } else {