diff --git a/src/emucore/FSNode.cxx b/src/emucore/FSNode.cxx
index 11cf9727a..99f3e9686 100644
--- a/src/emucore/FSNode.cxx
+++ b/src/emucore/FSNode.cxx
@@ -69,12 +69,6 @@ FSNode& FSNode::operator/=(const string& path)
 #endif
 }
 
-// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-bool FSNode::exists() const
-{
-  return _realNode ? _realNode->exists() : false;
-}
-
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 bool FSNode::getAllChildren(FSList& fslist, ListMode mode,
                             const NameFilter& filter,
@@ -290,64 +284,6 @@ string FSNode::getPathWithExt(const string& ext) const
   return (pos != string::npos) ? s.replace(pos, string::npos, ext) : s + ext;
 }
 
-// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-bool FSNode::hasParent() const
-{
-  return _realNode ? _realNode->hasParent() : false;
-}
-
-// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-FSNode FSNode::getParent() const
-{
-  if (!_realNode)
-    return *this;
-
-  AbstractFSNodePtr node = _realNode->getParent();
-  return node ? FSNode(node) : *this;
-}
-
-// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-bool FSNode::isDirectory() const
-{
-  return _realNode ? _realNode->isDirectory() : false;
-}
-
-// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-bool FSNode::isFile() const
-{
-  return _realNode ? _realNode->isFile() : false;
-}
-
-// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-bool FSNode::isReadable() const
-{
-  return _realNode ? _realNode->isReadable() : false;
-}
-
-// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-bool FSNode::isWritable() const
-{
-  return _realNode ? _realNode->isWritable() : false;
-}
-
-// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-bool FSNode::makeDir()
-{
-  return (_realNode && !_realNode->exists()) ? _realNode->makeDir() : false;
-}
-
-// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-bool FSNode::rename(const string& newfile)
-{
-  return (_realNode && _realNode->exists()) ? _realNode->rename(newfile) : false;
-}
-
-// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-size_t FSNode::getSize() const
-{
-  return (_realNode && _realNode->exists()) ? _realNode->getSize() : 0;
-}
-
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 size_t FSNode::read(ByteBuffer& buffer, size_t size) const
 {
@@ -395,3 +331,67 @@ size_t FSNode::write(const stringstream& buffer) const
 
   return 0;
 }
+
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+size_t FSNode::getSize() const
+{
+  return (_realNode && _realNode->exists()) ? _realNode->getSize() : 0;
+}
+
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+bool FSNode::hasParent() const
+{
+  return _realNode ? _realNode->hasParent() : false;
+}
+
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+FSNode FSNode::getParent() const
+{
+  if (!_realNode)
+    return *this;
+
+  AbstractFSNodePtr node = _realNode->getParent();
+  return node ? FSNode(node) : *this;
+}
+
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+bool FSNode::exists() const
+{
+  return _realNode ? _realNode->exists() : false;
+}
+
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+bool FSNode::isDirectory() const
+{
+  return _realNode ? _realNode->isDirectory() : false;
+}
+
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+bool FSNode::isFile() const
+{
+  return _realNode ? _realNode->isFile() : false;
+}
+
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+bool FSNode::isReadable() const
+{
+  return _realNode ? _realNode->isReadable() : false;
+}
+
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+bool FSNode::isWritable() const
+{
+  return _realNode ? _realNode->isWritable() : false;
+}
+
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+bool FSNode::makeDir()
+{
+  return (_realNode && !_realNode->exists()) ? _realNode->makeDir() : false;
+}
+
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+bool FSNode::rename(const string& newfile)
+{
+  return (_realNode && _realNode->exists()) ? _realNode->rename(newfile) : false;
+}
diff --git a/src/emucore/FSNode.hxx b/src/emucore/FSNode.hxx
index efdc9b75c..e55bdaf9d 100644
--- a/src/emucore/FSNode.hxx
+++ b/src/emucore/FSNode.hxx
@@ -28,9 +28,6 @@
  * in a portable fashion. To this end, multiple or single roots have to be
  * supported (compare Unix with a single root, Windows with multiple roots C:,
  * D:, ...).
- *
- * To this end, we abstract away from paths; implementations can be based on
- * paths (and it's left to them whether / or \ or : is the path separator :-).
  */
 
 class FSNode;
@@ -52,11 +49,7 @@ class FSList : public vector<FSNode> { };
 class FSNode
 {
   public:
-  #ifdef BSPF_WINDOWS
-    static constexpr char PATH_SEPARATOR = '\\';
-  #else
-    static constexpr char PATH_SEPARATOR = '/';
-  #endif
+    static constexpr char PATH_SEPARATOR = fs::path::preferred_separator;
 
   public:
     /**
diff --git a/src/unix/FSNodePOSIX.cxx b/src/unix/FSNodePOSIX.cxx
index d351a3a78..5b3c8513b 100644
--- a/src/unix/FSNodePOSIX.cxx
+++ b/src/unix/FSNodePOSIX.cxx
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ FSNodePOSIX::FSNodePOSIX(const string& path, bool verify)
   : _path{path.length() > 0 ? path : "~"}  // Default to home directory
 {
   // Expand '~' to the HOME environment variable
-  if(_path[0] == '~')
+  if (_path[0] == '~')
   {
   #if defined(BSPF_WINDOWS)
 
@@ -45,20 +45,21 @@ FSNodePOSIX::FSNodePOSIX(const string& path, bool verify)
     if (home != nullptr)
       _path.replace(0, 1, home);
   }
-  // Get absolute path (only used for relative directories)
-  else if(_path[0] == '.')
-  {
-    std::array<char, MAXPATHLEN> buf;
-    if(realpath(_path.c_str(), buf.data()))
-      _path = buf.data();
-  }
-
   _fspath = _path;
+
+  if (fs::exists(_fspath))  // get absolute path whenever possible
+    _fspath = fs::canonical(_fspath);
+
   _path = _fspath.string();
   _displayName = lastPathComponent(_path);
 
-  if(verify)
+  if (verify)
     setFlags();
+
+  // Add a trailing slash, if necessary
+  if (_isDirectory && _path.length() > 0 &&
+      _path[_path.length()-1] != FSNode::PATH_SEPARATOR)
+    _path += FSNode::PATH_SEPARATOR;
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
@@ -98,11 +99,12 @@ string FSNodePOSIX::getShortPath() const
 #endif
   const string& home = env_home != nullptr ? env_home : EmptyString;
 
-  if(home != EmptyString && BSPF::startsWithIgnoreCase(_path, home))
+  if (home != EmptyString && BSPF::startsWithIgnoreCase(_path, home))
   {
     string path = "~";
     const char* offset = _path.c_str() + home.size();
-    if(*offset != '/') path += "/";
+    if(*offset != FSNode::PATH_SEPARATOR)
+      path += FSNode::PATH_SEPARATOR;
     path += offset;
     return path;
   }
@@ -177,8 +179,6 @@ size_t FSNodePOSIX::read(ByteBuffer& buffer, size_t size) const
   }
   else
     throw runtime_error("File open/read error");
-
-  return 0;
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
@@ -196,8 +196,6 @@ size_t FSNodePOSIX::read(stringstream& buffer) const
   }
   else
     throw runtime_error("File open/read error");
-
-  return 0;
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
@@ -212,8 +210,6 @@ size_t FSNodePOSIX::write(const ByteBuffer& buffer, size_t size) const
   }
   else
     throw runtime_error("File open/write error");
-
-  return 0;
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
@@ -228,56 +224,51 @@ size_t FSNodePOSIX::write(const stringstream& buffer) const
   }
   else
     throw runtime_error("File open/write error");
-
-  return 0;
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 bool FSNodePOSIX::makeDir()
 {
-  if(mkdir(_path.c_str(), 0777) == 0)
+  if (!(exists() && _isDirectory) && fs::create_directory(_fspath))
   {
-    // Get absolute path
-    std::array<char, MAXPATHLEN> buf;
-    if(realpath(_path.c_str(), buf.data()))
-      _path = buf.data();
-
+    _fspath = fs::canonical(_fspath);
+    _path = _fspath.string();
     _displayName = lastPathComponent(_path);
+
     setFlags();
 
     // Add a trailing slash, if necessary
-    if (_path.length() > 0 && _path[_path.length()-1] != '/')
-      _path += '/';
+    if (_path.length() > 0 && _path[_path.length()-1] != FSNode::PATH_SEPARATOR)
+      _path += FSNode::PATH_SEPARATOR;
 
     return true;
   }
-  else
-    return false;
+  return false;
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 bool FSNodePOSIX::rename(const string& newfile)
 {
-  if(std::rename(_path.c_str(), newfile.c_str()) == 0)
+  fs::path newpath = newfile;
+
+  std::error_code ec;
+  fs::rename(_fspath, newpath, ec);
+  if (!ec)
   {
-    _path = newfile;
-
-    // Get absolute path
-    std::array<char, MAXPATHLEN> buf;
-    if(realpath(_path.c_str(), buf.data()))
-      _path = buf.data();
-
+    _fspath = fs::canonical(newpath);
+    _path = _fspath.string();
     _displayName = lastPathComponent(_path);
+
     setFlags();
 
     // Add a trailing slash, if necessary
-    if (_isDirectory && _path.length() > 0 && _path[_path.length()-1] != '/')
-      _path += '/';
+    if (_isDirectory && _path.length() > 0 &&
+        _path[_path.length()-1] != FSNode::PATH_SEPARATOR)
+      _path += FSNode::PATH_SEPARATOR;
 
     return true;
   }
-  else
-    return false;
+  return false;
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
diff --git a/src/unix/FSNodePOSIX.hxx b/src/unix/FSNodePOSIX.hxx
index 8fb6f8265..5dc90b7fd 100644
--- a/src/unix/FSNodePOSIX.hxx
+++ b/src/unix/FSNodePOSIX.hxx
@@ -20,24 +20,6 @@
 
 #include "FSNode.hxx"
 
-#ifdef BSPF_MACOS
-  #include <sys/types.h>
-#endif
-
-#include <sys/param.h>
-#include <sys/stat.h>
-#include <dirent.h>
-
-#include <cassert>
-#include <cstdio>
-#include <cstring>
-#include <cstdlib>
-#include <unistd.h>
-
-#ifndef MAXPATHLEN // No MAXPATHLEN, as happens on Hurd
-  #define MAXPATHLEN 1024
-#endif
-
 /*
  * Implementation of the Stella filesystem API for regular files,
  * based on the std::filesystem API in C++17.