diff --git a/tuf/client/updater.py b/tuf/client/updater.py
index 97681a3f..73dd6d08 100755
--- a/tuf/client/updater.py
+++ b/tuf/client/updater.py
@@ -2629,6 +2629,8 @@ def get_one_valid_targetinfo(self, target_filepath):
     # Raise 'securesystemslib.exceptions.FormatError' if there is a mismatch.
     securesystemslib.formats.RELPATH_SCHEMA.check_match(target_filepath)
 
+    target_filepath = target_filepath.replace('\\', '/')
+
     if target_filepath.startswith('/'):
       raise tuf.exceptions.FormatError('The requested target file cannot'
           ' contain a leading path separator: ' + repr(target_filepath))