diff --git a/tasks/task_patch.c b/tasks/task_patch.c
index 1a32bf785a..b9ef7f1d1a 100644
--- a/tasks/task_patch.c
+++ b/tasks/task_patch.c
@@ -506,47 +506,36 @@ static enum patch_error ips_apply_patch(
 
 static bool apply_patch_content(uint8_t **buf,
       ssize_t *size, const char *patch_desc, const char *patch_path,
-      patch_func_t func)
+      patch_func_t func, void *patch_data, ssize_t patch_size)
 {
    size_t target_size;
-   ssize_t patch_size;
-   void *patch_data         = NULL;
    enum patch_error err     = PATCH_UNKNOWN;
    bool success             = false;
    uint8_t *patched_content = NULL;
    ssize_t ret_size         = *size;
    uint8_t *ret_buf         = *buf;
    
-   if (!path_is_valid(patch_path))
-      return false;
-
-   if (!filestream_read_file(patch_path, &patch_data, &patch_size))
-      return false;
-
    if (patch_size < 0)
-   {
-      free(patch_data);
       return false;
-   }
 
    if (!path_file_exists(patch_path))
-   {
-      free(patch_data);
       return false;
-   }
 
    RARCH_LOG("Found %s file in \"%s\", attempting to patch ...\n",
          patch_desc, patch_path);
 
-   target_size = ret_size * 4; /* Just to be sure. */
-
+   target_size     = ret_size * 4; /* Just to be sure. */
    patched_content = (uint8_t*)malloc(target_size);
 
    if (!patched_content)
    {
       RARCH_ERR("%s\n",
             msg_hash_to_str(MSG_FAILED_TO_ALLOCATE_MEMORY_FOR_PATCHED_CONTENT));
-      goto error;
+
+      *buf  = ret_buf;
+      *size = ret_size;
+
+      return false;
    }
 
    err = func((const uint8_t*)patch_data, patch_size, ret_buf,
@@ -569,27 +558,32 @@ static bool apply_patch_content(uint8_t **buf,
    if (success)
    {
       free(ret_buf);
-      *buf = patched_content;
+      *buf  = patched_content;
       *size = target_size;
    }
 
-   free(patch_data);
    return true;
-
-error:
-   *buf = ret_buf;
-   *size = ret_size;
-   free(patch_data);
-
-   return false;
 }
 
 static bool try_bps_patch(bool allow_bps, const char *name_bps,
       uint8_t **buf, ssize_t *size)
 {
    if (allow_bps && !string_is_empty(name_bps))
-      return apply_patch_content(buf, size, "BPS", name_bps,
-            bps_apply_patch);
+      if (path_is_valid(name_bps))
+      {
+         ssize_t patch_size;
+         bool ret                 = false;
+         void *patch_data         = NULL;
+
+         if (!filestream_read_file(name_bps, &patch_data, &patch_size))
+            return false;
+
+         ret                      = apply_patch_content(
+               buf, size, "BPS", name_bps,
+               bps_apply_patch, patch_data, patch_size);
+         free(patch_data);
+         return ret;
+      }
    return false;
 }
 
@@ -597,8 +591,21 @@ static bool try_ups_patch(bool allow_ups, const char *name_ups,
       uint8_t **buf, ssize_t *size)
 {
    if (allow_ups && !string_is_empty(name_ups))
-      return apply_patch_content(buf, size, "UPS", name_ups,
-            ups_apply_patch);
+      if (path_is_valid(name_ups))
+      {
+         ssize_t patch_size;
+         bool ret                 = false;
+         void *patch_data         = NULL;
+
+         if (!filestream_read_file(name_ups, &patch_data, &patch_size))
+            return false;
+
+         ret                      = apply_patch_content(
+               buf, size, "UPS", name_ups,
+               ups_apply_patch, patch_data, patch_size);
+         free(patch_data);
+         return ret;
+      }
    return false;
 }
 
@@ -606,7 +613,21 @@ static bool try_ips_patch(bool allow_ips,
       const char *name_ips, uint8_t **buf, ssize_t *size)
 {
    if (allow_ips && !string_is_empty(name_ips))
-      return apply_patch_content(buf, size, "IPS", name_ips, ips_apply_patch);
+      if (path_is_valid(name_ips))
+      {
+         ssize_t patch_size;
+         bool ret                 = false;
+         void *patch_data         = NULL;
+
+         if (!filestream_read_file(name_ips, &patch_data, &patch_size))
+            return false;
+
+         ret                      = apply_patch_content(
+               buf, size, "IPS", name_ips,
+               ips_apply_patch, patch_data, patch_size);
+         free(patch_data);
+         return ret;
+      }
    return false;
 }