diff --git a/src/util/dirpath.c b/src/util/dirpath.c
index 3957611b90..830ac26315 100644
--- a/src/util/dirpath.c
+++ b/src/util/dirpath.c
@@ -560,6 +560,9 @@ ConstructLocalPath(const char *cpath, const char *relativeTo,
 
     *fullPathBufp = NULL;
 
+    if (cpath == NULL)
+	return ENOENT;
+
     while (isspace(*cpath)) {
 	cpath++;
     }
@@ -654,6 +657,9 @@ ConstructLocalPath(const char *cpath, const char *relativeTo,
 
     *fullPathBufp = NULL;
 
+    if (cpath == NULL)
+	return ENOENT;
+
     while (isspace(*cpath)) {
 	cpath++;
     }