diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index a5ac20e6a5..9892ce1688 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -575,7 +575,6 @@ static int populate_settings_path(settings_t *settings, struct config_path_setti
 {
    unsigned count = 0;
    struct config_path_setting     *tmp = NULL;
-   global_t   *global                  = global_get_ptr();
 
    /* Paths */
 #ifdef HAVE_XMB
@@ -590,9 +589,9 @@ static int populate_settings_path(settings_t *settings, struct config_path_setti
    SETTING_PATH("netplay_ip_address",       path_get_ptr(RARCH_PATH_SERVER), false, NULL, true);
 #endif
    SETTING_PATH("recording_output_directory",
-         global->record.output_dir, false, NULL, true);
+         dir_get_ptr(RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT), false, NULL, true);
    SETTING_PATH("recording_config_directory",
-         global->record.config_dir, false, NULL, true);
+         dir_get_ptr(RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG), false, NULL, true);
    SETTING_PATH("libretro_directory",
          settings->directory.libretro, false, NULL, false);
    SETTING_PATH("core_options_path",
@@ -1178,8 +1177,8 @@ static void config_set_defaults(void)
    if (!retroarch_override_setting_is_set(RARCH_OVERRIDE_SETTING_IPS_PREF))
       rarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_UNSET_IPS_PREF, NULL);
 
-   *global->record.output_dir = '\0';
-   *global->record.config_dir = '\0';
+   dir_clear(RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT);
+   dir_clear(RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG);
 
    *settings->path.core_options      = '\0';
    *settings->path.content_history   = '\0';
diff --git a/dirs.c b/dirs.c
index 0f6e6cbd10..ee5e71c45e 100644
--- a/dirs.c
+++ b/dirs.c
@@ -40,10 +40,12 @@ struct rarch_dir_list
 
 static struct rarch_dir_list dir_shader_list;
 
-static char dir_osk_overlay[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
-static char dir_system[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]      = {0};
-static char dir_savefile[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]    = {0};
-static char dir_savestate[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]   = {0};
+static char dir_record_output[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+static char dir_record_config[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+static char dir_osk_overlay[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]   = {0};
+static char dir_system[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]        = {0};
+static char dir_savefile[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]      = {0};
+static char dir_savestate[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]     = {0};
 
 static bool shader_dir_init(struct rarch_dir_list *dir_list)
 {
@@ -172,6 +174,10 @@ bool dir_is_empty(enum rarch_dir_type type)
 {
    switch (type)
    {
+      case RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT:
+         return string_is_empty(dir_record_output);
+      case RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG:
+         return string_is_empty(dir_record_config);
       case RARCH_DIR_SYSTEM:
          return string_is_empty(dir_system);
       case RARCH_DIR_SAVEFILE:
@@ -190,10 +196,14 @@ bool dir_is_empty(enum rarch_dir_type type)
 
 /* get size functions */
 
-size_t dir_get_size(enum rarch_dir_type type)
+size_t dir_get_ptr_size(enum rarch_dir_type type)
 {
    switch (type)
    {
+      case RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT:
+         return sizeof(dir_record_output);
+      case RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG:
+         return sizeof(dir_record_config);
       case RARCH_DIR_SYSTEM:
          return sizeof(dir_system);
       case RARCH_DIR_SAVEFILE:
@@ -216,6 +226,12 @@ void dir_clear(enum rarch_dir_type type)
 {
    switch (type)
    {
+      case RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT:
+         *dir_record_output = '\0';
+         break;
+      case RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG:
+         *dir_record_config = '\0';
+         break;
       case RARCH_DIR_SYSTEM:
          *dir_system = '\0';
          break;
@@ -248,6 +264,10 @@ char *dir_get_ptr(enum rarch_dir_type type)
 {
    switch (type)
    {
+      case RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT:
+         return dir_record_output;
+      case RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG:
+         return dir_record_config;
       case RARCH_DIR_SYSTEM:
          return dir_system;
       case RARCH_DIR_SAVEFILE:
@@ -270,6 +290,10 @@ const char *dir_get(enum rarch_dir_type type)
 {
    switch (type)
    {
+      case RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT:
+         return dir_record_output;
+      case RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG:
+         return dir_record_config;
       case RARCH_DIR_OSK_OVERLAY:
          return dir_osk_overlay;
       case RARCH_DIR_SYSTEM:
@@ -292,6 +316,14 @@ void dir_set(enum rarch_dir_type type, const char *path)
 {
    switch (type)
    {
+      case RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT:
+         strlcpy(dir_record_output, path,
+               sizeof(dir_record_output));
+         break;
+      case RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG:
+         strlcpy(dir_record_config, path,
+               sizeof(dir_record_config));
+         break;
       case RARCH_DIR_OSK_OVERLAY:
          strlcpy(dir_osk_overlay, path,
                sizeof(dir_osk_overlay));
diff --git a/dirs.h b/dirs.h
index 0d5f37c4e0..0fd14fe15a 100644
--- a/dirs.h
+++ b/dirs.h
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ enum rarch_dir_type
    RARCH_DIR_SYSTEM,
    RARCH_DIR_SAVEFILE,
    RARCH_DIR_SAVESTATE,
-   RARCH_DIR_OSK_OVERLAY
+   RARCH_DIR_OSK_OVERLAY,
+   RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT,
+   RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG
 };
 
 bool dir_init_shader(void);
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ void dir_clear(enum rarch_dir_type type);
 
 void dir_clear_all(void);
 
-size_t dir_get_size(enum rarch_dir_type type);
+size_t dir_get_ptr_size(enum rarch_dir_type type);
 
 char *dir_get_ptr(enum rarch_dir_type type);
 
diff --git a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c
index bac6a650f9..e16c721b3f 100644
--- a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c
+++ b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 #include "../../managers/cheat_manager.h"
 #include "../../tasks/tasks_internal.h"
 #include "../../input/input_remapping.h"
+#include "../../dirs.h"
 #include "../../paths.h"
 #include "../../retroarch.h"
 #include "../../runloop.h"
@@ -351,7 +352,7 @@ int generic_action_ok_displaylist_push(const char *path,
             menu_displaylist_reset_filebrowser();
             info.type          = type;
             info.directory_ptr = idx;
-            info_path          = global->record.config_dir;
+            info_path          = dir_get(RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG);
             info_label         = label;
             dl_type            = DISPLAYLIST_FILE_BROWSER_SELECT_FILE;
          }
diff --git a/menu/menu_setting.c b/menu/menu_setting.c
index 630e2a2e58..19292b54c6 100644
--- a/menu/menu_setting.c
+++ b/menu/menu_setting.c
@@ -6467,8 +6467,8 @@ static bool setting_append_list(
          {
             CONFIG_DIR(
                   list, list_info,
-                  global->record.output_dir,
-                  sizeof(global->record.output_dir),
+                  dir_get_ptr(RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT),
+                  dir_get_ptr_size(RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT),
                   msg_hash_to_str(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_RECORDING_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY),
                   msg_hash_to_str(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_RECORDING_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY),
                   "",
@@ -6482,8 +6482,8 @@ static bool setting_append_list(
 
             CONFIG_DIR(
                   list, list_info,
-                  global->record.config_dir,
-                  sizeof(global->record.config_dir),
+                  dir_get_ptr(RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG),
+                  dir_get_ptr_size(RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG),
                   msg_hash_to_str(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_RECORDING_CONFIG_DIRECTORY),
                   msg_hash_to_str(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_RECORDING_CONFIG_DIRECTORY),
                   "",
@@ -6514,7 +6514,7 @@ static bool setting_append_list(
          CONFIG_DIR(
                list, list_info,
                dir_get_ptr(RARCH_DIR_OSK_OVERLAY),
-               dir_get_size(RARCH_DIR_OSK_OVERLAY),
+               dir_get_ptr_size(RARCH_DIR_OSK_OVERLAY),
                msg_hash_to_str(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_OSK_OVERLAY_DIRECTORY),
                msg_hash_to_str(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_OSK_OVERLAY_DIRECTORY),
                g_defaults.dir.osk_overlay,
@@ -6590,7 +6590,7 @@ static bool setting_append_list(
          CONFIG_DIR(
                list, list_info,
                dir_get_ptr(RARCH_DIR_SAVEFILE),
-               dir_get_size(RARCH_DIR_SAVEFILE),
+               dir_get_ptr_size(RARCH_DIR_SAVEFILE),
                msg_hash_to_str(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_SAVEFILE_DIRECTORY),
                msg_hash_to_str(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_SAVEFILE_DIRECTORY),
                "",
@@ -6605,7 +6605,7 @@ static bool setting_append_list(
          CONFIG_DIR(
                list, list_info,
                dir_get_ptr(RARCH_DIR_SAVESTATE),
-               dir_get_size(RARCH_DIR_SAVESTATE),
+               dir_get_ptr_size(RARCH_DIR_SAVESTATE),
                msg_hash_to_str(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_SAVESTATE_DIRECTORY),
                msg_hash_to_str(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_SAVESTATE_DIRECTORY),
                "",
diff --git a/record/record_driver.c b/record/record_driver.c
index 7d5545442c..a12a03f5ca 100644
--- a/record/record_driver.c
+++ b/record/record_driver.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include "../runloop.h"
 #include "../verbosity.h"
 #include "../msg_hash.h"
+#include "../dirs.h"
 #include "../paths.h"
 #include "../list_special.h"
 
@@ -332,7 +333,7 @@ bool recording_init(void)
 
    if (global->record.use_output_dir)
       fill_pathname_join(recording_file,
-            global->record.output_dir,
+            dir_get(RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT),
             path_get(RARCH_PATH_RECORD),
             sizeof(recording_file));
 
diff --git a/runloop.c b/runloop.c
index c8dcb87b10..ae049b2983 100644
--- a/runloop.c
+++ b/runloop.c
@@ -728,7 +728,6 @@ bool runloop_ctl(enum runloop_ctl_state state, void *data)
          break;
       case RUNLOOP_CTL_GLOBAL_FREE:
          {
-            global_t *global = NULL;
             command_event(CMD_EVENT_TEMPORARY_CONTENT_DEINIT, NULL);
 
             path_deinit_subsystem();
@@ -758,10 +757,16 @@ bool runloop_ctl(enum runloop_ctl_state state, void *data)
 
             core_unset_input_descriptors();
 
-            global = global_get_ptr();
             path_clear_all();
+            dir_clear(RARCH_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG);
+            dir_clear(RARCH_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT);
             dir_clear_all();
-            memset(global, 0, sizeof(struct global));
+
+            {
+               global_t *global = global_get_ptr();
+               memset(global, 0, sizeof(struct global));
+            }
+
             retroarch_override_setting_free_state();
          }
          break;
diff --git a/runloop.h b/runloop.h
index a81bd187c1..3a6577b0bc 100644
--- a/runloop.h
+++ b/runloop.h
@@ -158,9 +158,6 @@ typedef struct global
    /* Recording. */
    struct
    {
-      char output_dir[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
-      char config_dir[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
-
       unsigned width;
       unsigned height;