diff --git a/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.cpp b/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.cpp
index 8e42e0f42e..5707507a42 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.cpp
@@ -885,7 +885,7 @@ std::string GetExeDirectory()
 #endif
 }
 
-std::string GetSysDirectory()
+static std::string CreateSysDirectoryPath()
 {
   std::string sysDir;
 
@@ -913,10 +913,16 @@ std::string GetSysDirectory()
 #endif
   sysDir += DIR_SEP;
 
-  INFO_LOG_FMT(COMMON, "GetSysDirectory: Setting to {}:", sysDir);
+  INFO_LOG_FMT(COMMON, "CreateSysDirectoryPath: Setting to {}", sysDir);
   return sysDir;
 }
 
+const std::string& GetSysDirectory()
+{
+  static const std::string sys_directory = CreateSysDirectoryPath();
+  return sys_directory;
+}
+
 #ifdef ANDROID
 void SetSysDirectory(const std::string& path)
 {
diff --git a/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.h b/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.h
index 0542cb3402..2672e237de 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.h
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ void SetUserPath(unsigned int dir_index, std::string path);
 std::string GetThemeDir(const std::string& theme_name);
 
 // Returns the path to where the sys file are
-std::string GetSysDirectory();
+const std::string& GetSysDirectory();
 
 #ifdef ANDROID
 void SetSysDirectory(const std::string& path);