diff --git a/cognee/tasks/ingestion/data_item_to_text_file.py b/cognee/tasks/ingestion/data_item_to_text_file.py
index 9fcafca57..573fcd9e9 100644
--- a/cognee/tasks/ingestion/data_item_to_text_file.py
+++ b/cognee/tasks/ingestion/data_item_to_text_file.py
@@ -75,5 +75,16 @@ async def data_item_to_text_file(
             else:
                 raise IngestionError(message="Local files are not accepted.")
 
+        # data is a relative file path (e.g., "file.json", "data/file.txt")
+        else:
+            # This is a relative file path - check if it exists and can be loaded
+            if settings.accept_local_file_path:
+                loader = get_loader_engine()
+                return await loader.load_file(data_item_path, preferred_loaders), loader.get_loader(
+                    data_item_path, preferred_loaders
+                )
+            else:
+                raise IngestionError(message="Local files are not accepted.")
+
     # data is not a supported type
     raise IngestionError(message=f"Data type not supported: {type(data_item_path)}")