diff --git a/mathics/builtin/files_io/files.py b/mathics/builtin/files_io/files.py
index 7f6919e854..5bbd786660 100644
--- a/mathics/builtin/files_io/files.py
+++ b/mathics/builtin/files_io/files.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
     path_search,
     stream_manager,
 )
+import mathics
 from mathics.builtin.base import Builtin, Predefined, BinaryOperator, PrefixOperator
 from mathics.builtin.strings import to_python_encoding
 from mathics.builtin.base import MessageException
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@
 INPUTFILE_VAR = ""
 
 TMP_DIR = tempfile.gettempdir()
-
+SymbolPath = Symbol("$Path")
 
 def _channel_to_stream(channel, mode="r"):
     if isinstance(channel, String):
@@ -2024,6 +2025,7 @@ def check_options(options):
         result = None
         pypath = path.get_string_value()
         definitions = evaluation.definitions
+        mathics.core.streams.PATH_VAR = SymbolPath.evaluate(evaluation).to_python(string_quotes=False)
         try:
             if trace_fn:
                 trace_fn(pypath)
diff --git a/mathics/builtin/files_io/filesystem.py b/mathics/builtin/files_io/filesystem.py
index 6bcde144d9..0c5131bf5a 100644
--- a/mathics/builtin/files_io/filesystem.py
+++ b/mathics/builtin/files_io/filesystem.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     valid_context_name,
 )
 
+import mathics.core.streams
 from mathics.core.streams import (
     HOME_DIR,
     PATH_VAR,
diff --git a/mathics/builtin/files_io/mainloop.py b/mathics/builtin/files_io/mainloop.py
index 645485ef0f..70a7ebab25 100644
--- a/mathics/builtin/files_io/mainloop.py
+++ b/mathics/builtin/files_io/mainloop.py
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
 An interactive session operates a loop, called the "main loop" in this way:
 
 <ul>
-  <li>read input</li>
-  <li>process input</li>
-  <li>format and print results</li>
+  <li>read input
+  <li>process input
+  <li>format and print results
   <li>repeat
 </ul>
 
diff --git a/mathics/core/expression.py b/mathics/core/expression.py
index a83a1ef268..623c54bab3 100644
--- a/mathics/core/expression.py
+++ b/mathics/core/expression.py
@@ -2617,7 +2617,8 @@ def to_sympy(self, **kwargs):
         return self.real.to_sympy() + sympy.I * self.imag.to_sympy()
 
     def to_python(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        return complex(self.real.to_python(), self.imag.to_python())
+        return complex(self.real.to_python(*args, **kwargs),
+                       self.imag.to_python(*args, **kwargs))
 
     def to_mpmath(self):
         return mpmath.mpc(self.real.to_mpmath(), self.imag.to_mpmath())
@@ -2962,7 +2963,11 @@ def to_sympy(self, **kwargs):
         return None
 
     def to_python(self, *args, **kwargs) -> str:
-        return '"%s"' % self.value  # add quotes to distinguish from Symbols
+        if kwargs.get("string_quotes", True):
+            return '"%s"' % self.value  # add quotes to distinguish from Symbols
+        else:
+            return self.value
+
 
     def __hash__(self):
         return hash(("String", self.value))
diff --git a/test/data/fortytwo.m b/test/data/fortytwo.m
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2971d19a3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/data/fortytwo.m
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+(* Example for testing issue #1329 *)
+42
diff --git a/test/test_files.py b/test/test_files.py
index 014a6c2220..15e763cbd7 100644
--- a/test/test_files.py
+++ b/test/test_files.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+import os.path as osp
 import sys
 from .helper import check_evaluation, evaluate
 
+
 def test_compress():
     for text in ("", "abc", " "):
         str_expr = f'Uncompress[Compress["{text}"]]'
@@ -20,6 +22,7 @@ def test_unprotected():
 
 
 if sys.platform not in ("win32",):
+
     def test_get_and_put():
         temp_filename = evaluate('$TemporaryDirectory<>"/testfile"').to_python()
         temp_filename_strip = temp_filename[1:-1]
@@ -27,6 +30,13 @@ def test_get_and_put():
         check_evaluation(f"<< {temp_filename_strip}", "40!")
         check_evaluation(f"DeleteFile[{temp_filename}]", "Null")
 
+    def test_get_path_search():
+        # Check that AppendTo[$Path] works in conjunction with Get[]
+        dirname = osp.join(osp.dirname(osp.abspath(__file__)), "data")
+        evaled = evaluate(f"""AppendTo[$Path, "{dirname}"]""")
+        assert evaled.has_form("List", 1, None)
+        check_evaluation('Get["fortytwo.m"]', "42")
+
 
 # I do not know what is it supposed to test with this...
 # def test_Inputget_and_put():