diff --git a/libretro-common/lists/dir_list.c b/libretro-common/lists/dir_list.c
index a290ca74af..a2e4e2b998 100644
--- a/libretro-common/lists/dir_list.c
+++ b/libretro-common/lists/dir_list.c
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ static int parse_dir_entry(const char *name, char *file_path,
    if (!include_dirs && is_dir)
       return 1;
 
-   if (!strcmp(name, ".") || !strcmp(name, ".."))
+   if ((name[0] == '.' && name[1] == '\0') ||
+       (name[0] == '.' && name[1] == '.' && name[2] == '\0'))
       return 1;
 
    if (!is_dir && ext_list &&