diff --git a/gfx/common/metal_common.m b/gfx/common/metal_common.m
index f9595b2619..17e38c0aa3 100644
--- a/gfx/common/metal_common.m
+++ b/gfx/common/metal_common.m
@@ -1137,7 +1137,7 @@ typedef struct MTLALIGN(16)
    [self _freeVideoShader:_shader];
    _shader = nil;
 
-   config_file_t         *conf = config_file_new(path.UTF8String);
+   config_file_t         *conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path.UTF8String);
    struct video_shader *shader = (struct video_shader *)calloc(1, sizeof(*shader));
 
    @try
diff --git a/gfx/drivers/d3d10.c b/gfx/drivers/d3d10.c
index 91c15de985..597c40f24e 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/d3d10.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/d3d10.c
@@ -360,9 +360,7 @@ static bool d3d10_gfx_set_shader(void* data, enum rarch_shader_type type, const
       return false;
    }
 
-   conf = config_file_new(path);
-
-   if (!conf)
+   if (!(conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path)))
       return false;
 
    d3d10->shader_preset = (struct video_shader*)calloc(1, sizeof(*d3d10->shader_preset));
diff --git a/gfx/drivers/d3d11.c b/gfx/drivers/d3d11.c
index 043181cbaf..7728a4ff1d 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/d3d11.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/d3d11.c
@@ -378,9 +378,7 @@ static bool d3d11_gfx_set_shader(void* data, enum rarch_shader_type type, const
       return false;
    }
 
-   conf = config_file_new(path);
-
-   if (!conf)
+   if (!(conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path)))
       return false;
 
    d3d11->shader_preset = (struct video_shader*)calloc(1, sizeof(*d3d11->shader_preset));
diff --git a/gfx/drivers/d3d12.c b/gfx/drivers/d3d12.c
index 3002661c4e..78364de742 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/d3d12.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/d3d12.c
@@ -359,9 +359,7 @@ static bool d3d12_gfx_set_shader(void* data, enum rarch_shader_type type, const
       return false;
    }
 
-   conf = config_file_new(path);
-
-   if (!conf)
+   if (!(conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path)))
       return false;
 
    d3d12->shader_preset = (struct video_shader*)calloc(1, sizeof(*d3d12->shader_preset));
diff --git a/gfx/drivers/d3d9.c b/gfx/drivers/d3d9.c
index 179c038058..22bccae001 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/d3d9.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/d3d9.c
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ static bool d3d9_init_multipass(d3d9_video_t *d3d, const char *shader_path)
    unsigned i;
    bool            use_extra_pass = false;
    struct video_shader_pass *pass = NULL;
-   config_file_t            *conf = config_file_new(shader_path);
+   config_file_t            *conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(shader_path);
 
    if (!conf)
    {
diff --git a/gfx/drivers/gx2_gfx.c b/gfx/drivers/gx2_gfx.c
index 1d4194f6e0..16bee11474 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/gx2_gfx.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/gx2_gfx.c
@@ -1453,7 +1453,7 @@ static bool wiiu_gfx_set_shader(void *data,
       return false;
    }
 
-   if (!(conf = config_file_new(path)))
+   if (!(conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path)))
       return false;
 
    wiiu->shader_preset = calloc(1, sizeof(*wiiu->shader_preset));
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_gl_cg.c b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_gl_cg.c
index a9d33601f3..0e62c8ed8f 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_gl_cg.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_gl_cg.c
@@ -678,7 +678,7 @@ static bool gl_cg_load_preset(void *data, const char *path)
       return false;
 
    RARCH_LOG("[CG]: Loading Cg meta-shader: %s\n", path);
-   conf = config_file_new(path);
+   conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path);
    if (!conf)
    {
       RARCH_ERR("Failed to load preset.\n");
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_glsl.c b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_glsl.c
index 6985aab5d7..7267f7b9e9 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_glsl.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_glsl.c
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ static void *gl_glsl_init(void *data, const char *path)
 
          if (is_preset)
          {
-            conf = config_file_new(path);
+            conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path);
             if (conf)
             {
                ret = video_shader_read_conf_preset(conf, glsl->shader);
diff --git a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_deferred_push.c b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_deferred_push.c
index 759cbbb0aa..1fb62b7dde 100644
--- a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_deferred_push.c
+++ b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_deferred_push.c
@@ -219,12 +219,11 @@ static int deferred_push_cursor_manager_list_deferred(
    int ret                        = -1;
    char *query                    = NULL;
    char *rdb                      = NULL;
-   settings_t *settings           = config_get_ptr();
    const char *path               = info->path;
-   config_file_t *conf            = path ? config_file_new(path) : NULL;
-
-   if (!conf || !settings)
-      goto end;
+   config_file_t *conf            = NULL;
+   
+   if (!(conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path)))
+      return -1;
 
    if (!config_get_string(conf, "query", &query))
       goto end;
@@ -234,9 +233,13 @@ static int deferred_push_cursor_manager_list_deferred(
 
    rdb_path[0] = '\0';
 
-   fill_pathname_join(rdb_path,
-         settings->paths.path_content_database,
-         rdb, sizeof(rdb_path));
+   {
+      settings_t *settings           = config_get_ptr();
+      if (settings)
+         fill_pathname_join(rdb_path,
+               settings->paths.path_content_database,
+               rdb, sizeof(rdb_path));
+   }
 
    if (!string_is_empty(info->path_b))
       free(info->path_b);
@@ -255,8 +258,7 @@ static int deferred_push_cursor_manager_list_deferred(
    ret             = deferred_push_dlist(info, DISPLAYLIST_DATABASE_QUERY);
 
 end:
-   if (conf)
-      config_file_free(conf);
+   config_file_free(conf);
    free(rdb);
    free(query);
    return ret;
diff --git a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c
index db13b7c906..c91d35b939 100644
--- a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c
+++ b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c
@@ -4034,9 +4034,7 @@ static int action_ok_option_create(const char *path,
       return 0;
    }
 
-   conf = config_file_new(game_path);
-
-   if (!conf)
+   if (!(conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(game_path)))
       if (!(conf = config_file_new_alloc()))
          return false;