diff --git a/learned_optimization/__init__.py b/learned_optimization/__init__.py
index c99b0bf..47fb2b9 100644
--- a/learned_optimization/__init__.py
+++ b/learned_optimization/__init__.py
@@ -14,3 +14,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 """learned_optimizer module."""
+
+from .py_utils import patch_os_path_get_sep
+
+_OLD_OS_PATH_GET_SEP = patch_os_path_get_sep()
diff --git a/learned_optimization/py_utils.py b/learned_optimization/py_utils.py
index 840cb95..011b72f 100644
--- a/learned_optimization/py_utils.py
+++ b/learned_optimization/py_utils.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 """Common python utilities."""
+import os
 from concurrent import futures
 from typing import Any, Callable, Sequence
 import tqdm
@@ -26,3 +27,26 @@ def threaded_tqdm_map(threads: int, func: Callable[[Any], Any],
     for l in tqdm.tqdm(data):
       future_list.append(executor.submit(func, l))
     return [x.result() for x in tqdm.tqdm(future_list)]
+
+
+def patch_os_path_get_sep():
+  old_get_sep = os.path._get_sep
+
+  def new_get_sep(path):
+    """Return the OS separator for the given path.
+
+    If `path` starts with "gs://", "/" is used as the separator.
+    """
+    if isinstance(path, bytes):
+      gs_prefix = b'gs://'
+      sep = b'/'
+    else:
+      gs_prefix = 'gs://'
+      sep = '/'
+
+    if not path.startswith(gs_prefix):
+      sep = old_get_sep(path)
+    return sep
+
+  os.path._get_sep = new_get_sep
+  return old_get_sep