diff --git a/awx/main/tests/unit/utils/test_execution_environments.py b/awx/main/tests/unit/utils/test_execution_environments.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f9e70a1a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/awx/main/tests/unit/utils/test_execution_environments.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import pytest
+
+from awx.main.utils.execution_environments import to_container_path, to_host_path
+
+
+private_data_dir = '/tmp/pdd_iso/awx_xxx'
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'container_path,host_path',
+    [
+        ('/runner', private_data_dir),
+        ('/runner/foo', '{0}/foo'.format(private_data_dir)),
+        ('/runner/foo/bar', '{0}/foo/bar'.format(private_data_dir)),
+        ('/runner{0}'.format(private_data_dir), '{0}{0}'.format(private_data_dir)),
+    ],
+)
+def test_switch_paths(container_path, host_path):
+    assert to_container_path(host_path, private_data_dir) == container_path
+    assert to_host_path(container_path, private_data_dir) == host_path
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'container_path',
+    [
+        ('/foobar'),
+        ('/runner/..'),
+    ],
+)
+def test_invalid_container_path(container_path):
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+        to_host_path(container_path, private_data_dir)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'host_path',
+    [
+        ('/foobar'),
+        ('/tmp/pdd_iso'),
+        ('/tmp/pdd_iso/awx_xxx/..'),
+    ],
+)
+def test_invalid_host_path(host_path):
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+        to_container_path(host_path, private_data_dir)
diff --git a/awx/main/utils/execution_environments.py b/awx/main/utils/execution_environments.py
index 8e5ef7918a..c9aca5a380 100644
--- a/awx/main/utils/execution_environments.py
+++ b/awx/main/utils/execution_environments.py
@@ -37,7 +37,15 @@ CONTAINER_ROOT = '/runner'
 
 def to_container_path(path, private_data_dir):
     if not os.path.isabs(private_data_dir):
-        raise Exception
-    if Path(private_data_dir) not in Path(path).parents:
-        raise Exception
-    return path.replace(private_data_dir, CONTAINER_ROOT)
+        raise RuntimeError('The private_data_dir path must be absolute')
+    if private_data_dir != path and Path(private_data_dir) not in Path(path).resolve().parents:
+        raise RuntimeError(f'Cannot convert path {path} unless it is a subdir of {private_data_dir}')
+    return path.replace(private_data_dir, CONTAINER_ROOT, 1)
+
+
+def to_host_path(path, private_data_dir):
+    if not os.path.isabs(private_data_dir):
+        raise RuntimeError('The private_data_dir path must be absolute')
+    if CONTAINER_ROOT != path and Path(CONTAINER_ROOT) not in Path(path).resolve().parents:
+        raise RuntimeError(f'Cannot convert path {path} unless it is a subdir of {CONTAINER_ROOT}')
+    return path.replace(CONTAINER_ROOT, private_data_dir, 1)