diff --git a/instrumentation/jmx-metrics/javaagent/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/instrumentation/javaagent/jmx/JmxMetricInsightInstaller.java b/instrumentation/jmx-metrics/javaagent/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/instrumentation/javaagent/jmx/JmxMetricInsightInstaller.java
index 2c2d989ba9f7..afc046b995dc 100644
--- a/instrumentation/jmx-metrics/javaagent/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/instrumentation/javaagent/jmx/JmxMetricInsightInstaller.java
+++ b/instrumentation/jmx-metrics/javaagent/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/instrumentation/javaagent/jmx/JmxMetricInsightInstaller.java
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@
 import io.opentelemetry.sdk.autoconfigure.AutoConfiguredOpenTelemetrySdk;
 import io.opentelemetry.sdk.autoconfigure.spi.ConfigProperties;
 import java.io.InputStream;
-import java.nio.file.Files;
-import java.nio.file.Paths;
+import java.net.URL;
 import java.time.Duration;
 import java.util.List;
 
@@ -81,10 +80,15 @@ private static void buildFromDefaultRules(
   private static void buildFromUserRules(
       MetricConfiguration conf, ConfigProperties configProperties) {
     List<String> configFiles = configProperties.getList("otel.jmx.config");
+    String configFileUrlString;
     for (String configFile : configFiles) {
-      JmxMetricInsight.getLogger().log(FINE, "JMX config file name: {0}", configFile);
+      configFileUrlString = configFile;
+      if (configFile != null && !configFile.contains("://")) {
+        configFileUrlString = "file://" + configFile;
+      }
+      JmxMetricInsight.getLogger().log(FINE, "JMX config file name: {0}", configFileUrlString);
       RuleParser parserInstance = RuleParser.get();
-      try (InputStream inputStream = Files.newInputStream(Paths.get(configFile))) {
+      try (InputStream inputStream = new URL(configFileUrlString).openStream()) {
         parserInstance.addMetricDefsTo(conf, inputStream, configFile);
       } catch (Exception e) {
         // yaml parsing errors are caught and logged inside of addMetricDefsTo