diff --git a/code/sys/sys_main.c b/code/sys/sys_main.c
index dae8e8f6..70c9933f 100644
--- a/code/sys/sys_main.c
+++ b/code/sys/sys_main.c
@@ -140,7 +140,12 @@ Sys_PIDFileName
 */
 static char *Sys_PIDFileName( void )
 {
-	return va( "%s/%s", Sys_DefaultHomePath( ), PID_FILENAME );
+	const char *homePath = Sys_DefaultHomePath( );
+
+	if( *homePath != NULL )
+		return va( "%s/%s", Sys_DefaultHomePath( ), PID_FILENAME );
+
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -156,6 +161,9 @@ qboolean Sys_WritePIDFile( void )
 	FILE      *f;
 	qboolean  stale = qfalse;
 
+	if( pidFile == NULL )
+		return qfalse;
+
 	// First, check if the pid file is already there
 	if( ( f = fopen( pidFile, "r" ) ) != NULL )
 	{
@@ -204,7 +212,10 @@ static __attribute__ ((noreturn)) void Sys_Exit( int exitCode )
 	if( exitCode < 2 )
 	{
 		// Normal exit
-		remove( Sys_PIDFileName( ) );
+		char *pidFile = Sys_PIDFileName( );
+
+		if( pidFile != NULL )
+			remove( pidFile );
 	}
 
 	Sys_PlatformExit( );
diff --git a/code/sys/sys_unix.c b/code/sys/sys_unix.c
index a60b0863..508383dd 100644
--- a/code/sys/sys_unix.c
+++ b/code/sys/sys_unix.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ char *Sys_DefaultHomePath(void)
 {
 	char *p;
 
-	if( !*homePath )
+	if( !*homePath && com_homepath != NULL )
 	{
 		if( ( p = getenv( "HOME" ) ) != NULL )
 		{