diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index bf05dadcb..9a4137740 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export {
   getQueryParameters,
   ensureDefinedConfig,
   parseURL,
+  getPath,
 } from './utils';
 export {
   APP_TOPIC,
diff --git a/src/initialize.js b/src/initialize.js
index 7073c57a0..08c985731 100644
--- a/src/initialize.js
+++ b/src/initialize.js
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Note that the env.config.js file in frontend-platform's root directory is NOT us
 initialization code, it's just there for the test suite and example application.
 */
 import envConfig from 'env.config'; // eslint-disable-line import/no-unresolved
-
+import { getPath } from './utils';
 import {
   publish,
 } from './pubSub';
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ import configureCache from './auth/LocalForageCache';
  */
 export const history = (typeof window !== 'undefined')
   ? createBrowserHistory({
-    basename: getConfig().PUBLIC_PATH,
+    basename: getPath(getConfig().PUBLIC_PATH),
   }) : createMemoryHistory();
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/initialize.test.js b/src/initialize.test.js
index b15458001..5276f705e 100644
--- a/src/initialize.test.js
+++ b/src/initialize.test.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import PubSub from 'pubsub-js';
+import { createBrowserHistory } from 'history';
 import {
   APP_PUBSUB_INITIALIZED,
   APP_CONFIG_INITIALIZED,
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ jest.mock('./auth');
 jest.mock('./analytics');
 jest.mock('./i18n');
 jest.mock('./auth/LocalForageCache');
+jest.mock('history');
 
 let config = null;
 const newConfig = {
@@ -351,3 +353,12 @@ describe('initialize', () => {
     expect(logError).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 });
+
+describe('history', () => {
+  it('browser history called by default path', async () => {
+    // import history from initialize;
+    expect(createBrowserHistory).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      basename: '/',
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
index 8a1c65ff2..091a46fb0 100644
--- a/src/utils.js
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -143,6 +143,17 @@ export function parseURL(url) {
   return parser;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Given a string URL return the path of the URL
+ *
+ *
+ * @param {string}
+ * @returns {string}
+ */
+export function getPath(url) {
+  return parseURL(url).pathname;
+}
+
 /**
  * *Deprecated*: A method which converts the supplied query string into an object of
  * key-value pairs and returns it.  Defaults to the current query string - should perform like
diff --git a/src/utils.test.js b/src/utils.test.js
index 3b9e77f57..cd5e6eac3 100644
--- a/src/utils.test.js
+++ b/src/utils.test.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   snakeCaseObject,
   convertKeyNames,
   parseURL,
+  getPath,
   getQueryParameters,
 } from '.';
 
@@ -152,3 +153,41 @@ describe('ParseURL', () => {
     expect(parsedURL.host).toEqual('example.com:3000');
   });
 });
+
+describe('getPath', () => {
+  it('Path is retrieved with full url', () => {
+    const testURL = 'http://example.com:3000/pathname/?search=test#hash';
+
+    expect(getPath(testURL)).toEqual('/pathname/');
+  });
+
+  it('Path is retrieved with only path', () => {
+    const testURL = '/learning/';
+
+    expect(getPath(testURL)).toEqual('/learning/');
+  });
+
+  it('Path is retrieved without protocol', () => {
+    const testURL = '//example.com:3000/accounts/';
+
+    expect(getPath(testURL)).toEqual('/accounts/');
+  });
+
+  it('Path is retrieved with base `/`', () => {
+    const testURL = '/';
+
+    expect(getPath(testURL)).toEqual('/');
+  });
+
+  it('Path is retrieved without port', () => {
+    const testURL = 'https://example.com/accounts/';
+
+    expect(getPath(testURL)).toEqual('/accounts/');
+  });
+
+  it('Path is retrieved without CDN shape', () => {
+    const testURL = 'https://d20blt6w1kfasr.cloudfront.net/learning/';
+
+    expect(getPath(testURL)).toEqual('/learning/');
+  });
+});