diff --git a/frontend/menu/menu_action.c b/frontend/menu/menu_action.c
index 79d0dddcaa..005c23218d 100644
--- a/frontend/menu/menu_action.c
+++ b/frontend/menu/menu_action.c
@@ -150,19 +150,20 @@ int menu_action_handle_setting(rarch_setting_t *setting,
          switch (action)
          {
             case MENU_ACTION_START:
-               *setting->value.string = '\0';
-
-               if (setting->change_handler)
-                  setting->change_handler(setting);
-
-               if (setting->flags & SD_FLAG_EXIT
-                     && setting->cmd_trigger.triggered)
-               {
-                  setting->cmd_trigger.triggered = false;
-                  return -1;
-               }
+               if (setting->action_start)
+                  return setting->action_start(setting);
                break;
          }
+
+         if (setting->change_handler)
+            setting->change_handler(setting);
+
+         if (setting->flags & SD_FLAG_EXIT
+               && setting->cmd_trigger.triggered)
+         {
+            setting->cmd_trigger.triggered = false;
+            return -1;
+         }
          break;
       case ST_STRING:
          switch (action)
diff --git a/settings_data.c b/settings_data.c
index c9cde30aa9..87798786d3 100644
--- a/settings_data.c
+++ b/settings_data.c
@@ -735,6 +735,18 @@ static int setting_data_bool_action_start_default(void *data)
    return 0;
 }
 
+static int setting_data_string_dir_action_start_default(void *data)
+{
+   rarch_setting_t *setting = (rarch_setting_t*)data;
+
+   if (!setting)
+      return -1;
+
+   *setting->value.string = '\0';
+
+   return 0;
+}
+
 static int setting_data_bool_action_toggle_default(void *data, unsigned action)
 {
    rarch_setting_t *setting = (rarch_setting_t*)data;
@@ -1065,6 +1077,9 @@ rarch_setting_t setting_data_string_setting(enum setting_type type,
    result.value.string = target;
    result.default_value.string = default_value;
 
+   if (type == ST_DIR)
+      result.action_start  = setting_data_string_dir_action_start_default;
+
    return result;
 }