diff --git a/nyc.config.js b/nyc.config.js
index 43e77d3e5..34797312a 100644
--- a/nyc.config.js
+++ b/nyc.config.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ module.exports = {
   checkCoverage: true,
 
   statements: 85,
-  branches: 65,
+  branches: 70,
   functions: 90,
   lines: 85,
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/lib/config.js b/packages/cli/lib/config.js
index 0a73f91b1..42f88f44f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/lib/config.js
+++ b/packages/cli/lib/config.js
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ module.exports = readAndMergeConfig = async() => {
       let customConfig = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(defaultConfig));
       
       if (fs.existsSync(path.join(process.cwd(), 'greenwood.config.js'))) {
-        const userCfgFile = require(path.join(process.cwd(), 'greenwood.config.js'));
-        
+        const userCfgFile = require(path.join(process.cwd(), 'greenwood.config.js'));        
         const { workspace, devServer, publicPath, title, meta } = userCfgFile;
           
         // workspace validation
@@ -36,7 +35,12 @@ module.exports = readAndMergeConfig = async() => {
             customConfig.workspace = path.join(process.cwd(), workspace);
           }
 
-          if (!fs.existsSync(workspace)) {
+          if (path.isAbsolute(workspace)) {
+            // use the users provided path
+            customConfig.workspace = workspace;
+          }
+
+          if (!fs.existsSync(customConfig.workspace)) {
             reject('Error: greenwood.config.js workspace doesn\'t exist! \n' +
               'common issues to check might be: \n' + 
               '- typo in your workspace directory name, or in greenwood.config.js \n' +
diff --git a/test/cli/cases/build.config.error-workspace-absolute/build.config.error-workspace-absolute.spec.js b/test/cli/cases/build.config.error-workspace-absolute/build.config.error-workspace-absolute.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6b971df02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli/cases/build.config.error-workspace-absolute/build.config.error-workspace-absolute.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+ * Use Case
+ * Run Greenwood build command with a bad value for workspace directory (that doesn't exist) in a custom config.
+ * 
+ * User Result
+ * Should throw an error.
+ * 
+ * User Command
+ * greenwood build
+ * 
+ * User Config
+ * {
+ *   workspace: path.join(__dirname, 'noop')
+ * }
+ * 
+ * User Workspace
+ * Greenwood default
+ */
+const expect = require('chai').expect;
+const TestBed = require('../../test-bed');
+
+describe('Build Greenwood With: ', () => {
+  let setup;
+
+  before(async () => {
+    setup = new TestBed();
+    setup.setupTestBed(__dirname);
+  });
+
+  describe('Custom Configuration with a bad value (absolute path) for Workspace', () => {
+    it('should throw an error that workspace path must exist', async () => {
+      try { 
+        await setup.runGreenwoodCommand('build');
+      } catch (err) {
+        expect(err).to.contain('greenwood.config.js workspace doesn\'t exist!');
+      }
+    });
+  });
+
+  after(function() {
+    setup.teardownTestBed();
+  });
+
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/cli/cases/build.config.error-workspace-absolute/greenwood.config.js b/test/cli/cases/build.config.error-workspace-absolute/greenwood.config.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..29c78a6e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli/cases/build.config.error-workspace-absolute/greenwood.config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+const path = require('path');
+
+module.exports = {
+  workspace: path.join(__dirname, 'noop')
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/cli/cases/build.config.workspace-custom/build.config.workspace-custom.spec.js b/test/cli/cases/build.config.workspace-custom/build.config.workspace-custom.spec.js
index 1c6ec2328..b3fa2de3b 100644
--- a/test/cli/cases/build.config.workspace-custom/build.config.workspace-custom.spec.js
+++ b/test/cli/cases/build.config.workspace-custom/build.config.workspace-custom.spec.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 /*
  * Use Case
- * Run Greenwood build command with custom workspace directory and Greenwood defaults.
+ * Run Greenwood build command with custom workspace directory (absolute path) and custom pages.
  * 
  * User Result
- * Should generate a bare bones Greenwood build from www directory.
+ * Should generate a Greenwood build from www directory with about and index pages.
  * 
  * User Command
  * greenwood build
@@ -14,8 +14,15 @@
  * }
  * 
  * User Workspace
- * Greenwood default
+ * www/
+ *   pages/
+ *     about.md
+ *     index.md
  */
+const expect = require('chai').expect;
+const fs = require('fs');
+const { JSDOM } = require('jsdom');
+const path = require('path');
 const runSmokeTest = require('../../smoke-test');
 const TestBed = require('../../test-bed');
 
@@ -32,7 +39,32 @@ describe('Build Greenwood With: ', function() {
     before(async function() {    
       await setup.runGreenwoodCommand('build');
     });
-    runSmokeTest(['public', 'index', 'not-found', 'hello', 'meta'], LABEL);
+
+    runSmokeTest(['public', 'index', 'not-found', 'meta'], LABEL);
+
+    describe('Custom About page', function() {
+      let dom;
+
+      beforeEach(async function() {
+        dom = await JSDOM.fromFile(path.resolve(this.context.publicDir, 'about', './index.html'));
+      });
+
+      it('should output an index.html file within the custom about page directory', function() {
+        expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(this.context.publicDir, 'about', './index.html'))).to.be.true;
+      });
+
+      it('should have the expected heading text within the custom about page in the about directory', async function() {
+        const heading = dom.window.document.querySelector('h3').textContent;
+    
+        expect(heading).to.equal('Nested Custom About Page');
+      });
+    
+      it('should have the expected paragraph text within the custom about page in the about directory', async function() {
+        let paragraph = dom.window.document.querySelector('p').textContent;
+    
+        expect(paragraph).to.equal('This is a custom about page built by Greenwood.');
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   after(function() {
diff --git a/test/cli/cases/build.config.workspace-custom/www/.gitkeep b/test/cli/cases/build.config.workspace-custom/www/.gitkeep
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000
diff --git a/test/cli/cases/build.config.workspace-custom/www/pages/about.md b/test/cli/cases/build.config.workspace-custom/www/pages/about.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e228c1606
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli/cases/build.config.workspace-custom/www/pages/about.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+### Nested Custom About Page
+
+This is a custom about page built by Greenwood.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/cli/cases/build.config.workspace-custom/www/pages/index.md b/test/cli/cases/build.config.workspace-custom/www/pages/index.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1c1a50fbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli/cases/build.config.workspace-custom/www/pages/index.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+### Greenwood
+
+This is the home page built by Greenwood. Make your own pages in src/pages/index.js!
\ No newline at end of file