diff --git a/src/bob/pad/face/database/database.py b/src/bob/pad/face/database/database.py
index 0c5d53d774801f8b7826c35cd16958a6503fb7c5..2175d74f06245b3d789d83eaf18b35eb38069688 100644
--- a/src/bob/pad/face/database/database.py
+++ b/src/bob/pad/face/database/database.py
@@ -43,9 +43,16 @@ def delayed_video_load(
             path = sample.filename
             if not keep_extension_for_annotation:
                 path = os.path.splitext(sample.filename)[0]
+
+            # Check if the annotation directory is a local directory or a tar.gz
+            if os.path.isdir(annotation_directory):
+                file_name = os.path.join(annotation_directory, path + ".json")
+            else:
+                file_name = f"{annotation_directory}:{path}.json"
+
             delayed_annotations = partial(
                 read_annotation_file,
-                file_name=f"{annotation_directory}:{path}.json",
+                file_name=file_name,
                 annotation_type="json",
             )
             delayed_attributes = {"annotations": delayed_annotations}