diff --git a/libretro-common/file/file_path.c b/libretro-common/file/file_path.c
index c8e47943cf..1624f9f2d8 100644
--- a/libretro-common/file/file_path.c
+++ b/libretro-common/file/file_path.c
@@ -277,8 +277,10 @@ bool path_is_compressed_file(const char* path)
  * out_path = "/foo/bar/baz/boo.asm"
  * E.g.: in_path = "/foo/bar/baz/boo.c", replace = ""     =>
  * out_path = "/foo/bar/baz/boo"
+ *
+ * @return Length of the string copied into @out
  */
-void fill_pathname(char *out_path, const char *in_path,
+size_t fill_pathname(char *out_path, const char *in_path,
       const char *replace, size_t size)
 {
    char tmp_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
@@ -288,7 +290,7 @@ void fill_pathname(char *out_path, const char *in_path,
       *tok = '\0';
 
    strlcpy(out_path, tmp_path, size);
-   strlcat(out_path, replace, size);
+   return strlcat(out_path, replace, size);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/libretro-common/include/file/file_path.h b/libretro-common/include/file/file_path.h
index 33db4a57e1..eefed8d310 100644
--- a/libretro-common/include/file/file_path.h
+++ b/libretro-common/include/file/file_path.h
@@ -264,8 +264,10 @@ bool path_is_absolute(const char *path);
  * - calls strlcpy 2x
  * - calls strrchr
  * - calls strlcat
+ *
+ * @return Length of the string copied into @out
  */
-void fill_pathname(char *out_path, const char *in_path,
+size_t fill_pathname(char *out_path, const char *in_path,
       const char *replace, size_t size);
 
 /**
diff --git a/playlist.c b/playlist.c
index c3525586f8..8734107331 100644
--- a/playlist.c
+++ b/playlist.c
@@ -1499,8 +1499,7 @@ void playlist_write_runtime_file(playlist_t *playlist)
       return;
    }
 
-   writer = rjsonwriter_open_stream(file);
-   if (!writer)
+   if (!(writer = rjsonwriter_open_stream(file)))
    {
       RARCH_ERR("Failed to create JSON writer\n");
       goto end;
@@ -1722,13 +1721,11 @@ void playlist_write_file(playlist_t *playlist)
          RARCH_ERR("Failed to create JSON writer\n");
          goto end;
       }
+      /*  When compressing playlists, human readability
+       *   is not a factor - can skip all indentation
+       *   and new line characters */
       if (compressed)
-      {
-         /*  When compressing playlists, human readability
-          *   is not a factor - can skip all indentation
-          *   and new line characters */
          rjsonwriter_set_options(writer, RJSONWRITER_OPTION_SKIP_WHITESPACE);
-      }
 
       rjsonwriter_raw(writer, "{", 1);
       rjsonwriter_raw(writer, "\n", 1);
@@ -2142,13 +2139,9 @@ static bool JSONEndArrayHandler(void *context)
    pCtx->array_depth--;
 
    if (pCtx->in_items && pCtx->array_depth == 0 && pCtx->object_depth <= 1)
-   {
       pCtx->in_items = false;
-   }
    else if (pCtx->in_subsystem_roms && pCtx->array_depth <= 1 && pCtx->object_depth <= 2)
-   {
       pCtx->in_subsystem_roms = false;
-   }
 
    return true;
 }
@@ -2498,9 +2491,8 @@ static bool playlist_read_file(playlist_t *playlist)
     *   non-whitespace ASCII character */
    do
    {
-      test_char = intfstream_getc(file);
-
-      if (test_char == EOF) /* read error or end of file */
+	   /* Read error or EOF (end of file) */
+      if ((test_char = intfstream_getc(file)) == EOF)
          goto end;
    }while (!isgraph(test_char) || test_char > 0x7F);
 
@@ -2975,9 +2967,7 @@ static int playlist_qsort_func(const struct playlist_entry *a,
     * have no other option...) */
    if (string_is_empty(a_str))
    {
-      a_fallback_label = (char*)calloc(PATH_MAX_LENGTH, sizeof(char));
-
-      if (!a_fallback_label)
+      if (!(a_fallback_label = (char*)calloc(PATH_MAX_LENGTH, sizeof(char))))
          goto end;
 
       if (!string_is_empty(a->path))
@@ -3000,9 +2990,7 @@ static int playlist_qsort_func(const struct playlist_entry *a,
 
    if (string_is_empty(b_str))
    {
-      b_fallback_label = (char*)calloc(PATH_MAX_LENGTH, sizeof(char));
-
-      if (!b_fallback_label)
+      if (!(b_fallback_label = (char*)calloc(PATH_MAX_LENGTH, sizeof(char))))
          goto end;
 
       if (!string_is_empty(b->path))
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 6e38c39778..ee5f9001c0 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -1450,7 +1450,6 @@ void dir_check_defaults(const char *custom_ini_path)
       if (string_is_empty(dir_path))
          continue;
 
-      new_path[0] = '\0';
       fill_pathname_expand_special(new_path,
             dir_path, sizeof(new_path));