diff --git a/prez/config.py b/prez/config.py
index 567cd5c1..4f252769 100755
--- a/prez/config.py
+++ b/prez/config.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import toml
 from pydantic import field_validator
 from pydantic_settings import BaseSettings
-from rdflib import DCTERMS, RDFS, SDO, URIRef
+from rdflib import DCTERMS, RDFS, SDO, Graph, URIRef
 from rdflib.namespace import SKOS
 
 from prez.reference_data.prez_ns import EP, REG
@@ -130,14 +130,20 @@ def get_version(cls, v):
         "other_predicates",
     )
     def validate_predicates(cls, v):
+        nm = Graph().namespace_manager
+        predicates = []
         try:
-            v = [URIRef(predicate) for predicate in v]
+            for predicate in v:
+                if predicate.startswith("http"):
+                    predicates.append(URIRef(predicate))
+                else:
+                    predicates.append(URIRef(nm.expand_curie(predicate)))
         except ValueError as e:
             raise ValueError(
-                "Could not parse predicates. predicates must be valid URIs no prefixes allowed "
+                "Could not parse predicates. All predicates must be valid URIs\n"
                 f"original message: {e}"
             )
-        return v
+        return predicates
 
 
 settings = Settings()
diff --git a/tests/test_predicates.py b/tests/test_predicates.py
index c4259e61..27e1ad1e 100644
--- a/tests/test_predicates.py
+++ b/tests/test_predicates.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import pytest
+from pydantic import ValidationError
 
 from prez.config import Settings
 
@@ -7,8 +8,8 @@
     "label_predicates, error",
     [
         [["https://schema.org/name"], None],
-        [["1", "2", "3"], None],
-        [[1], TypeError],
+        [["1", "2", "3"], ValidationError],
+        [[1], AttributeError],
         ["not a list", ValueError],
     ],
 )
@@ -24,8 +25,8 @@ def test_label_predicates(label_predicates, error):
     "description_predicates, error",
     [
         [["https://schema.org/description"], None],
-        [["1", "2", "3"], None],
-        [[1], TypeError],
+        [["1", "2", "3"], ValidationError],
+        [[1], AttributeError],
         ["not a list", ValueError],
     ],
 )
@@ -41,8 +42,8 @@ def test_description_predicates(description_predicates, error):
     "provenance_predicates, error",
     [
         [["https://schema.org/provenance"], None],
-        [["1", "2", "3"], None],
-        [[1], TypeError],
+        [["1", "2", "3"], ValidationError],
+        [[1], AttributeError],
         ["not a list", ValueError],
     ],
 )
@@ -58,8 +59,8 @@ def test_provenance_predicates(provenance_predicates, error):
     "search_predicates, error",
     [
         [["https://schema.org/search"], None],
-        [["1", "2", "3"], None],
-        [[1], TypeError],
+        [["1", "2", "3"], ValidationError],
+        [[1], AttributeError],
         ["not a list", ValueError],
     ],
 )
@@ -75,8 +76,8 @@ def test_search_predicates(search_predicates, error):
     "other_predicates, error",
     [
         [["https://schema.org/other"], None],
-        [["1", "2", "3"], None],
-        [[1], TypeError],
+        [["1", "2", "3"], ValidationError],
+        [[1], AttributeError],
         ["not a list", ValueError],
     ],
 )