diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index 92cd8733ea..76b559a061 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ static int populate_settings_path(settings_t *settings, struct config_path_setti
    SETTING_PATH("core_updater_buildbot_url", settings->network.buildbot_url, false, NULL, true);
    SETTING_PATH("core_updater_buildbot_assets_url", settings->network.buildbot_assets_url, false, NULL, true);
 #ifdef HAVE_NETWORKING
-   SETTING_PATH("netplay_ip_address",       global->netplay.server, false, NULL, true);
+   SETTING_PATH("netplay_ip_address",       path_get_server_ptr(), false, NULL, true);
 #endif
    SETTING_PATH("recording_output_directory",
          global->record.output_dir, false, NULL, true);
@@ -1755,7 +1755,7 @@ static bool config_load_file(const char *path, bool set_defaults,
 
 #ifdef HAVE_NETWORKING
    if (retroarch_override_setting_is_set(RARCH_OVERRIDE_SETTING_NETPLAY_IP_ADDRESS))
-      override_netplay_ip_address = strdup(global->netplay.server);
+      override_netplay_ip_address = strdup(path_get(RARCH_PATH_SERVER));
 #endif
 
    /* Boolean settings */
@@ -1944,7 +1944,7 @@ static bool config_load_file(const char *path, bool set_defaults,
 #ifdef HAVE_NETWORKING
    if (retroarch_override_setting_is_set(RARCH_OVERRIDE_SETTING_NETPLAY_IP_ADDRESS))
    {
-      strlcpy(global->netplay.server, override_netplay_ip_address, sizeof(global->netplay.server));
+      path_set(RARCH_PATH_SERVER, override_netplay_ip_address);
       free(override_netplay_ip_address);
    }
 #endif
diff --git a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c
index cedfe8a5ee..92ae73ffa0 100644
--- a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c
+++ b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c
@@ -3297,7 +3297,8 @@ static int action_ok_netplay_enable_host(const char *path,
    }
 
    global->netplay.is_client = false;
-   global->netplay.server[0] = '\0';
+
+   path_clear(RARCH_PATH_SERVER);
 
    /* If we haven't yet started, this will load on its own */
    if (!content_is_inited())
@@ -3344,7 +3345,7 @@ static int action_ok_netplay_enable_client(const char *path,
    global->netplay.is_client = true;
 
    /* We can't do anything without a host specified */
-   if (!global->netplay.server[0])
+   if (path_is_empty(RARCH_PATH_SERVER))
    {
       runloop_msg_queue_push(
             "Please specify the Netplay server's IP address or hostname.",
diff --git a/menu/menu_setting.c b/menu/menu_setting.c
index 11df264913..a77e5ff774 100644
--- a/menu/menu_setting.c
+++ b/menu/menu_setting.c
@@ -1657,14 +1657,14 @@ void general_write_handler(void *data)
       case MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_MODE:
 #ifdef HAVE_NETWORKING
          if (!global->netplay.is_client)
-            *global->netplay.server = '\0';
+            path_clear(RARCH_PATH_SERVER);
          retroarch_override_setting_set(RARCH_OVERRIDE_SETTING_NETPLAY_MODE);
 #endif
          break;
       case MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_SPECTATOR_MODE_ENABLE:
 #ifdef HAVE_NETWORKING
          if (global->netplay.is_spectate)
-            *global->netplay.server = '\0';
+            path_clear(RARCH_PATH_SERVER);
 #endif
          break;
       case MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_DELAY_FRAMES:
@@ -5810,8 +5810,8 @@ static bool setting_append_list(
 
             CONFIG_STRING(
                   list, list_info,
-                  global->netplay.server,
-                  sizeof(global->netplay.server),
+                  path_get_server_ptr(),
+                  path_get_server_size(),
                   msg_hash_to_str(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_IP_ADDRESS),
                   msg_hash_to_str(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_NETPLAY_IP_ADDRESS),
                   "",
diff --git a/network/netplay/netplay.c b/network/netplay/netplay.c
index 433b022288..1e9c8dda08 100644
--- a/network/netplay/netplay.c
+++ b/network/netplay/netplay.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "../../configuration.h"
 #include "../../command.h"
 #include "../../movie.h"
+#include "../../paths.h"
 #include "../../runloop.h"
 
 #define MAX_STALL_TIME_USEC         (10*1000*1000)
@@ -1327,7 +1328,7 @@ bool init_netplay(void)
 
    core_set_default_callbacks(&cbs);
 
-   if (*global->netplay.server)
+   if (!path_is_empty(RARCH_PATH_SERVER))
    {
       RARCH_LOG("Connecting to netplay host...\n");
       global->netplay.is_client = true;
@@ -1341,10 +1342,13 @@ bool init_netplay(void)
    }
 
    netplay_data = (netplay_t*)netplay_new(
-         global->netplay.is_client ? global->netplay.server : NULL,
-         global->netplay.port ? global->netplay.port : RARCH_DEFAULT_PORT,
-         global->netplay.sync_frames, global->netplay.check_frames, &cbs,
-         global->netplay.is_spectate, settings->username);
+         global->netplay.is_client ? path_get(RARCH_PATH_SERVER) : NULL,
+         global->netplay.port      ? global->netplay.port        : RARCH_DEFAULT_PORT,
+         global->netplay.sync_frames,
+         global->netplay.check_frames,
+         &cbs,
+         global->netplay.is_spectate,
+         settings->username);
 
    if (netplay_data)
       return true;
diff --git a/paths.c b/paths.c
index 91a5e437e2..68d3d3fb5b 100644
--- a/paths.c
+++ b/paths.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 /* For --subsystem content. */
 static struct string_list *subsystem_fullpaths          = NULL;
 
+static char path_server[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]                = {0};
 static char path_savefile[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]              = {0};
 static char path_savestate[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]             = {0};
 static char path_cheatfile[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]             = {0};
@@ -496,6 +497,11 @@ char *path_get_core_ptr(void)
    return path_libretro;
 }
 
+char *path_get_server_ptr(void)
+{
+   return path_server;
+}
+
 const char *path_get(enum rarch_path_type type)
 {
    switch (type)
@@ -508,6 +514,8 @@ const char *path_get(enum rarch_path_type type)
          return path_cheatfile;
       case RARCH_PATH_REMAPFILE:
          return path_remapfile;
+      case RARCH_PATH_SERVER:
+         return path_server;
       case RARCH_PATH_IPS:
          return path_ips;
       case RARCH_PATH_BPS:
@@ -540,6 +548,10 @@ const char *path_get(enum rarch_path_type type)
    return NULL;
 }
 
+size_t path_get_server_size(void)
+{
+   return sizeof(path_server);
+}
 
 size_t path_get_core_size(void)
 {
@@ -608,6 +620,10 @@ bool path_set(enum rarch_path_type type, const char *path)
          strlcpy(path_remapfile, path,
                sizeof(path_remapfile));
          break;
+      case RARCH_PATH_SERVER:
+         strlcpy(path_server, path,
+               sizeof(path_server));
+         break;
       case RARCH_PATH_IPS:
          strlcpy(path_ips, path,
                sizeof(path_ips));
@@ -676,6 +692,10 @@ bool path_is_empty(enum rarch_path_type type)
          if (string_is_empty(path_remapfile))
             return true;
          break;
+      case RARCH_PATH_SERVER:
+         if (string_is_empty(path_server))
+            return true;
+         break;
       case RARCH_PATH_IPS:
          if (string_is_empty(path_ips))
             return true;
@@ -737,6 +757,9 @@ void path_clear(enum rarch_path_type type)
       case RARCH_PATH_REMAPFILE:
          *path_remapfile  = '\0';
          break;
+      case RARCH_PATH_SERVER:
+         *path_server  = '\0';
+         break;
       case RARCH_PATH_IPS:
          *path_ips  = '\0';
          break;
diff --git a/paths.h b/paths.h
index ec01bb6091..2305d0f8c3 100644
--- a/paths.h
+++ b/paths.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ enum rarch_path_type
    RARCH_PATH_IPS,
    RARCH_PATH_BPS,
    RARCH_PATH_REMAPFILE,
+   RARCH_PATH_SERVER,
    RARCH_PATH_CONFIG_APPEND,
    RARCH_PATH_CORE_OPTIONS,
    RARCH_PATH_DEFAULT_SHADER_PRESET,
@@ -75,12 +76,16 @@ void path_set_basename(const char *path);
 
 /* get size functions */
 
+size_t path_get_server_size(void);
+
 size_t path_get_core_size(void);
 
 /* get ptr functions */
 
 char *path_get_core_ptr(void);
 
+char *path_get_server_ptr(void);
+
 /* get list functions */
 
 struct string_list *path_get_subsystem_list(void);
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 39a30ad035..a7b59e1ae4 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -670,15 +670,14 @@ static void retroarch_parse_input(int argc, char *argv[])
             retroarch_override_setting_set(
                   RARCH_OVERRIDE_SETTING_NETPLAY_IP_ADDRESS);
             global->netplay.enable = true;
-            *global->netplay.server = '\0';
+            path_clear(RARCH_PATH_SERVER);
             break;
 
          case 'C':
             retroarch_override_setting_set(
                   RARCH_OVERRIDE_SETTING_NETPLAY_IP_ADDRESS);
             global->netplay.enable = true;
-            strlcpy(global->netplay.server, optarg,
-                  sizeof(global->netplay.server));
+            path_set(RARCH_PATH_SERVER, optarg);
             break;
 
          case 'F':
diff --git a/runloop.c b/runloop.c
index fb1ad59d75..757c451054 100644
--- a/runloop.c
+++ b/runloop.c
@@ -748,6 +748,7 @@ bool runloop_ctl(enum runloop_ctl_state state, void *data)
             path_clear(RARCH_PATH_SAVESTATE);
             path_clear(RARCH_PATH_CHEATFILE);
             path_clear(RARCH_PATH_REMAPFILE);
+            path_clear(RARCH_PATH_SERVER);
             path_clear(RARCH_PATH_IPS);
             path_clear(RARCH_PATH_UPS);
             path_clear(RARCH_PATH_BPS);
diff --git a/runloop.h b/runloop.h
index aecfeb316b..474746ec48 100644
--- a/runloop.h
+++ b/runloop.h
@@ -146,7 +146,6 @@ typedef struct global
    /* Netplay. */
    struct
    {
-      char server[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
       bool enable;
       bool is_client;
       bool is_spectate;