diff --git a/LightInject.Tests/AssemblyScannerTests.cs b/LightInject.Tests/AssemblyScannerTests.cs
index acd32f1d..a11311a7 100644
--- a/LightInject.Tests/AssemblyScannerTests.cs
+++ b/LightInject.Tests/AssemblyScannerTests.cs
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ public void Register_AssemblyWithFuncAndLifeCycle_CallsAssemblyScanner()
             mockContext.Assert(a => a.Scan(typeof(IFoo).Assembly, The<IServiceRegistry>.IsAnyValue, The<Func<ILifetime>>.IsAnyValue, The<Func<Type, Type, bool>>.IsAnyValue), Invoked.Once);
         }
 #if NET || NET45
+
         [TestMethod]
         public void Register_SearchPattern_CallsAssemblyScanner()
         {
@@ -234,6 +235,17 @@ public void Register_SearchPattern_CallsAssemblyScanner()
             serviceContainer.RegisterAssembly("LightInject.SampleLibrary.dll");
             mockContext.Assert(a => a.Scan(typeof(IFoo).Assembly, The<IServiceRegistry>.IsAnyValue, The<Func<ILifetime>>.IsAnyValue, The<Func<Type, Type, bool>>.IsAnyValue), Invoked.Once);
         }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void Register_SearchPattern_CallsAssemblyScanner_FromFullPath()
+        {
+            var mockContext = new MockContext<IAssemblyScanner>();
+            var scannerMock = new AssemblyScannerMock(mockContext);            
+            var serviceContainer = new ServiceContainer();
+            serviceContainer.AssemblyScanner = scannerMock;
+            serviceContainer.RegisterAssembly(Environment.CurrentDirectory + "\\LightInject.SampleLibrary.dll");
+            mockContext.Assert(a => a.Scan(typeof(IFoo).Assembly, The<IServiceRegistry>.IsAnyValue, The<Func<ILifetime>>.IsAnyValue, The<Func<Type, Type, bool>>.IsAnyValue), Invoked.Once);
+        }
 #endif
 
         [TestMethod]
diff --git a/LightInject/LightInject.cs b/LightInject/LightInject.cs
index 47613c9e..ab69c655 100644
--- a/LightInject/LightInject.cs
+++ b/LightInject/LightInject.cs
@@ -6371,7 +6371,7 @@ private static void TrackInstance(Scope scope, IDisposable disposable)
         {
             if (scope == null)
             {
-                throw new InvalidOperationException("Attempt to create a disposable instance without a current scope.");
+                throw new InvalidOperationException("Attempt to create a disposable instance without a current scope. Put your GetInstance call in a 'using (var scope = container.BeginScope())' { ... } block.");
             }
 
             scope.TrackInstance(disposable);
@@ -6958,9 +6958,19 @@ public IEnumerable<Assembly> Load(string searchPattern)
             if (directory != null)
             {
                 string[] searchPatterns = searchPattern.Split('|');
-                foreach (string file in searchPatterns.SelectMany(sp => Directory.GetFiles(directory, sp)).Where(CanLoad))
+                foreach (string pattern in searchPatterns)
                 {
-                    yield return Assembly.LoadFrom(file);
+                    if(File.Exists(pattern))
+                    {
+                        yield return Assembly.LoadFrom(pattern);
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        foreach(string file in searchPattern.SelectMany(sp => Directory.GetFiles(directory, pattern)).Where(CanLoad))
+                        {
+                            yield return Assembly.LoadFrom(file);
+                        }
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }