diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index 74e67498fb..90eab2ac0f 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -1981,9 +1981,9 @@ static void config_load_core_specific(void)
 
    *path_core_specific_config = '\0';
 
-   if (string_is_empty(settings->path.libretro))
+   if (string_is_empty(config_get_active_core_path()))
    {
-      RARCH_WARN("Libretro path not set, cannot load core-specific config file...\n");
+      RARCH_WARN("Active core path not set, cannot load core-specific config file...\n");
       return;
    }
 
@@ -3231,6 +3231,12 @@ bool config_replace(char *path)
    return true;
 }
 
+const char *config_get_active_core_path(void)
+{
+   settings_t *settings        = config_get_ptr();
+   return settings->path.libretro;
+}
+
 const char *config_get_active_path(void)
 {
    settings_t *settings        = config_get_ptr();
diff --git a/configuration.h b/configuration.h
index 5d2ad7e6cf..bc561e5a60 100644
--- a/configuration.h
+++ b/configuration.h
@@ -598,6 +598,8 @@ void config_free(void);
 
 const char *config_get_active_path(void);
 
+const char *config_get_active_core_path(void);
+
 void config_free_state(void);
 
 settings_t *config_get_ptr(void);
diff --git a/dynamic.c b/dynamic.c
index 807a18bfe9..5d74c15e68 100644
--- a/dynamic.c
+++ b/dynamic.c
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ static void load_dynamic_core(void)
       retroarch_fail(1, "init_libretro_sym()");
    }
 
-   if (!*settings->path.libretro)
+   if (string_is_empty(settings->path.libretro))
    {
       RARCH_ERR("RetroArch is built for dynamic libretro cores, but "
             "libretro_path is not set. Cannot continue.\n");