diff --git a/libretro-common/net/net_http.c b/libretro-common/net/net_http.c
index 6d5a240445..8eab42eb00 100644
--- a/libretro-common/net/net_http.c
+++ b/libretro-common/net/net_http.c
@@ -288,6 +288,9 @@ struct http_connection_t *net_http_connection_new(const char *url,
    else
       error = true;
 
+   if (string_is_empty(conn->scan))
+      goto error;
+
    /* Get the port here from the url if it's specified.
       does not work on username password urls: user:pass@domain.com
 
@@ -312,12 +315,14 @@ struct http_connection_t *net_http_connection_new(const char *url,
 
       strlcpy(new_domain, domain_port, sizeof(new_domain));
 
+      free(url_dup);
+
       if (uri != NULL)
       {
-         if (strchr(uri, (char) '/') == NULL) 
+         if (strchr(uri, (char) '/') == NULL)
             strlcat(new_domain, uri, sizeof(new_domain));
          else
-         { 
+         {
             strlcat(new_domain, "/", sizeof(new_domain));
             strlcat(new_domain, strchr(uri, (char) '/')+sizeof(char), sizeof(new_domain));
          }