diff --git a/file.php b/file.php
index 9407088..199f477 100644
--- a/file.php
+++ b/file.php
@@ -518,6 +518,7 @@ class file
     if (! file_exists ($path))
     {
       $this->debug (1, "checkPathRO ($path) => Path '$path' not found");
+      return $this->checkExternalPathRO ($path);
       throw new \Exception (sprintf (dgettext ("domframework",
                                                "Path '%s' not found"),
                                      $path), 404);