diff --git a/gfx/drivers/gl.c b/gfx/drivers/gl.c
index be73a790f5..9d1009f1a8 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/gl.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/gl.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include <formats/image.h>
 #include <retro_inline.h>
 #include <retro_miscellaneous.h>
+#include <string/stdstring.h>
 
 #include "../../driver.h"
 #include "../../record/record_driver.h"
@@ -2501,7 +2502,7 @@ static void *gl_init(const video_info_t *video, const input_driver_t **input, vo
    RARCH_LOG("[GL]: Vendor: %s, Renderer: %s.\n", vendor, renderer);
    RARCH_LOG("[GL]: Version: %s.\n", version);
 
-   if (version && version[0] != '\0')
+   if (!string_is_empty(version))
       sscanf(version, "%d.%d", &gl->version_major, &gl->version_minor);
 
 #ifndef RARCH_CONSOLE
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_context/androidegl_ctx.c b/gfx/drivers_context/androidegl_ctx.c
index b11b017f31..6672c14e91 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_context/androidegl_ctx.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers_context/androidegl_ctx.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <sys/system_properties.h>
 
 #include <formats/image.h>
+#include <string/stdstring.h>
 
 #include "../../driver.h"
 #include "../../general.h"
@@ -220,7 +221,7 @@ static void dpi_get_density(char *s, size_t len)
 {
    system_property_get("getprop", "ro.sf.lcd_density", s);
 
-   if (s[0] == '\0')
+   if (string_is_empty(s))
       system_property_get("wm", "density", s);
 }
 
@@ -240,7 +241,7 @@ static bool android_gfx_ctx_get_metrics(void *data,
          if (dpi == -1)
          {
             dpi_get_density(density, sizeof(density));
-            if (density[0] == '\0')
+            if (string_is_empty(density))
                return false;
             dpi    = atoi(density);
          }
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_hlsl.c b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_hlsl.c
index 0a09a19c1d..a7e05f1128 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_hlsl.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers_shader/shader_hlsl.c
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
  *  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
+#include <string/stdstring.h>
+
 #include "shader_hlsl.h"
 
 #include "../video_shader_parse.h"
@@ -256,7 +258,7 @@ static bool hlsl_load_plain(hlsl_shader_data_t *hlsl, void *data, const char *pa
 
    hlsl->cg_shader->passes = 1;
 
-   if (path && path[0] != '\0')
+   if (!string_is_empty(path))
    {
       RARCH_LOG("Loading Cg/HLSL file: %s\n", path);
       strlcpy(hlsl->cg_shader->pass[0].source.path,
diff --git a/ui/drivers/cocoa/cocoatouch_menu.m b/ui/drivers/cocoa/cocoatouch_menu.m
index 3d54b9855a..3d5ddadf72 100644
--- a/ui/drivers/cocoa/cocoatouch_menu.m
+++ b/ui/drivers/cocoa/cocoatouch_menu.m
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include <boolean.h>
 #include <file/file_path.h>
 #include <retro_miscellaneous.h>
+#include <string/stdstring.h>
 #include <string/string_list.h>
 
 #include "cocoa_common.h"
@@ -122,7 +123,7 @@ static void RunActionSheet(const char* title, const struct string_list* items,
 
   result.textLabel.text = BOXSTRING(label);
 
-  if (label[0] == '\0')
+  if (string_is_empty(label))
     strlcpy(buffer, "N/A", sizeof(buffer));
   result.detailTextLabel.text = BOXSTRING(buffer);
   return result;
@@ -426,7 +427,7 @@ replacementString:(NSString *)string
    field.delegate = self.formatter;
 
    menu_entry_get_value(self.i, buffer, sizeof(buffer));
-   if (buffer[0] == '\0')
+   if (string_is_empty(buffer))
       strlcpy(buffer, "N/A", sizeof(buffer));
 
    field.placeholder = BOXSTRING(buffer);