diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index 91db35de13..74e67498fb 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -3248,5 +3248,5 @@ const char *config_get_active_path(void)
 
 void config_free_state(void)
 {
-   *path_core_specific_config = '\0';
+   path_core_specific_config[0] = '\0';
 }
diff --git a/runloop.c b/runloop.c
index 7cc3beb908..d0bbaca836 100644
--- a/runloop.c
+++ b/runloop.c
@@ -1138,7 +1138,8 @@ bool runloop_ctl(enum runloop_ctl_state state, void *data)
             const struct retro_variable *vars = 
                (const struct retro_variable*)data;
 
-            if (string_is_empty(options_path) && *global->path.config)
+            if (string_is_empty(options_path) 
+                  && !string_is_empty(global->path.config))
             {
                fill_pathname_resolve_relative(buf, global->path.config,
                      file_path_str(FILE_PATH_CORE_OPTIONS_CONFIG), sizeof(buf));