diff --git a/dgamelaunch.c b/dgamelaunch.c
index eaf3e68..15aeff2 100644
--- a/dgamelaunch.c
+++ b/dgamelaunch.c
@@ -1959,13 +1959,17 @@ main (int argc, char** argv)
       myconfig[userchoice]->bin_args[i] = tmp;
   }
 
-  tmp = strdup(dgl_format_str(userchoice, me, myconfig[userchoice]->mkdir));
-  free(myconfig[userchoice]->mkdir);
-  myconfig[userchoice]->mkdir = tmp;
+  if (myconfig[userchoice]->mkdir) {
+      tmp = strdup(dgl_format_str(userchoice, me, myconfig[userchoice]->mkdir));
+      free(myconfig[userchoice]->mkdir);
+      myconfig[userchoice]->mkdir = tmp;
+  }
 
-  tmp = strdup(dgl_format_str(userchoice, me, myconfig[userchoice]->chdir));
-  free(myconfig[userchoice]->chdir);
-  myconfig[userchoice]->chdir = tmp;
+  if (myconfig[userchoice]->chdir) {
+      tmp = strdup(dgl_format_str(userchoice, me, myconfig[userchoice]->chdir));
+      free(myconfig[userchoice]->chdir);
+      myconfig[userchoice]->chdir = tmp;
+  }
 
   /* launch program */
   ttyrec_main (userchoice, me->username, gen_ttyrec_filename());