diff --git a/singer_sdk/tap_base.py b/singer_sdk/tap_base.py
index ea6f96beb..c26fb823f 100644
--- a/singer_sdk/tap_base.py
+++ b/singer_sdk/tap_base.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 import abc
 import contextlib
+import pathlib
 import typing as t
 import warnings
 from enum import Enum
@@ -494,8 +495,8 @@ def invoke(  # type: ignore[override]
         about: bool = False,
         about_format: str | None = None,
         config: tuple[str, ...] = (),
-        state: str | None = None,
-        catalog: str | None = None,
+        state: pathlib.Path | None = None,
+        catalog: pathlib.Path | None = None,
     ) -> None:
         """Invoke the tap's command line interface.
 
@@ -619,12 +620,20 @@ def get_singer_command(cls: type[Tap]) -> click.Command:
                 click.Option(
                     ["--catalog"],
                     help="Use a Singer catalog file with the tap.",
-                    type=click.Path(),
+                    type=click.Path(
+                        path_type=pathlib.Path,
+                        exists=True,
+                        dir_okay=False,
+                    ),
                 ),
                 click.Option(
                     ["--state"],
                     help="Use a bookmarks file for incremental replication.",
-                    type=click.Path(),
+                    type=click.Path(
+                        path_type=pathlib.Path,
+                        exists=True,
+                        dir_okay=False,
+                    ),
                 ),
             ],
         )