diff --git a/core_info.c b/core_info.c
index 207b654a63..46a41139b6 100644
--- a/core_info.c
+++ b/core_info.c
@@ -1567,9 +1567,6 @@ bool core_info_set_core_lock(const char *core_path, bool lock)
    strlcat(lock_file_path, FILE_PATH_LOCK_EXTENSION,
          sizeof(lock_file_path));
 
-   if (string_is_empty(lock_file_path))
-      return false;
-
    /* Check whether lock file exists */
    lock_file_exists = path_is_valid(lock_file_path);
 
@@ -1658,9 +1655,6 @@ bool core_info_get_core_lock(const char *core_path, bool validate_path)
    strlcat(lock_file_path, FILE_PATH_LOCK_EXTENSION,
          sizeof(lock_file_path));
 
-   if (string_is_empty(lock_file_path))
-      return false;
-
    /* Check whether lock file exists */
    is_locked = path_is_valid(lock_file_path);
 
diff --git a/libretro-common/file/file_path_io.c b/libretro-common/file/file_path_io.c
index acd6ab4e1a..63587e3928 100644
--- a/libretro-common/file/file_path_io.c
+++ b/libretro-common/file/file_path_io.c
@@ -110,7 +110,6 @@ int32_t path_get_size(const char *path)
  **/
 bool path_mkdir(const char *dir)
 {
-   bool         sret  = false;
    bool norecurse     = false;
    char     *basedir  = NULL;
 
@@ -132,15 +131,9 @@ bool path_mkdir(const char *dir)
       return false;
    }
 
-   if (path_is_directory(basedir))
+   if (     path_is_directory(basedir)
+         || path_mkdir(basedir))
       norecurse = true;
-   else
-   {
-      sret      = path_mkdir(basedir);
-
-      if (sret)
-         norecurse = true;
-   }
 
    free(basedir);
 
@@ -151,9 +144,8 @@ bool path_mkdir(const char *dir)
       /* Don't treat this as an error. */
       if (ret == -2 && path_is_directory(dir))
          return true;
-
-      return (ret == 0);
+      else if (ret == 0)
+         return true;
    }
-
-   return sret;
+   return false;
 }