diff --git a/lib/license_finder/package_managers/cocoa_pods.rb b/lib/license_finder/package_managers/cocoa_pods.rb
index 2a7b857b..516b00d6 100644
--- a/lib/license_finder/package_managers/cocoa_pods.rb
+++ b/lib/license_finder/package_managers/cocoa_pods.rb
@@ -53,7 +53,9 @@ def acknowledgements_path
     end
 
     def read_plist(pathname)
-      JSON.parse(`plutil -convert json -o - '#{pathname.gsub!(%r{[^0-9A-Za-z.\-'/]}, '')}'`)
+      transformed_pathname = pathname.gsub!(%r{[^0-9A-Za-z. \-'/]}, '')
+      transformed_pathname = pathname if transformed_pathname.nil?
+      JSON.parse(`plutil -convert json -o - '#{transformed_pathname}'`)
     end
   end
 end