diff --git a/src/hid/gtk/gtkhid-main.c b/src/hid/gtk/gtkhid-main.c
index 779091c6..e5f17842 100644
--- a/src/hid/gtk/gtkhid-main.c
+++ b/src/hid/gtk/gtkhid-main.c
@@ -1336,6 +1336,7 @@ Load (int argc, char **argv, Coord x, Coord y)
 {
   char *function;
   char *name = NULL;
+  char *pos = NULL;
 
   static gchar *current_element_dir = NULL;
   static gchar *current_layout_dir = NULL;
@@ -1349,9 +1350,11 @@ Load (int argc, char **argv, Coord x, Coord y)
 
   if (strcasecmp (function, "Netlist") == 0)
     {
-	  if (!current_netlist_dir && *PCB->Filename){
+	  if (!current_netlist_dir && PCB->Filename){
         current_netlist_dir = strdup(PCB->Filename);
-		*strrchr(current_netlist_dir, PCB_DIR_SEPARATOR_C) = 0;
+		pos = strrchr(current_netlist_dir, PCB_DIR_SEPARATOR_C);
+        if (pos != NULL)
+          *pos = 0;
 	  }
       name = ghid_dialog_file_select_open (_("Load netlist file"),
 					   &current_netlist_dir,
@@ -1359,19 +1362,23 @@ Load (int argc, char **argv, Coord x, Coord y)
     }
   else if (strcasecmp (function, "ElementToBuffer") == 0)
     {
-	  if (!current_element_dir && *PCB->Filename){
+	  if (!current_element_dir && PCB->Filename){
         current_element_dir = strdup(PCB->Filename);
-		*strrchr(current_element_dir, PCB_DIR_SEPARATOR_C) = 0;
-	  }	
+		pos = strrchr(current_element_dir, PCB_DIR_SEPARATOR_C);
+        if (pos != NULL)
+          *pos = 0;
+	  }
       name = ghid_dialog_file_select_open (_("Load element to buffer"),
 					   &current_element_dir,
 					   Settings.LibraryTree);
     }
   else if (strcasecmp (function, "LayoutToBuffer") == 0)
     {
-   	  if (!current_layout_dir && *PCB->Filename){
+      if (!current_layout_dir && PCB->Filename){
         current_layout_dir = strdup(PCB->Filename);
-		*strrchr(current_layout_dir, PCB_DIR_SEPARATOR_C) = 0;
+		pos = strrchr(current_layout_dir, PCB_DIR_SEPARATOR_C);
+        if (pos != NULL)
+          *pos = 0;
 	  }
 	  name = ghid_dialog_file_select_open (_("Load layout file to buffer"),
 					   &current_layout_dir,
@@ -1379,9 +1386,11 @@ Load (int argc, char **argv, Coord x, Coord y)
     }
   else if (strcasecmp (function, "Layout") == 0)
     {
-      if (!current_layout_dir && *PCB->Filename){
+      if (!current_layout_dir && PCB->Filename){
         current_layout_dir = strdup(PCB->Filename);
-		*strrchr(current_layout_dir, PCB_DIR_SEPARATOR_C) = 0;
+		pos = strrchr(current_layout_dir, PCB_DIR_SEPARATOR_C);
+        if (pos != NULL)
+          *pos = 0;
 	  }
 	  name = ghid_dialog_file_select_open (_("Load layout file"),
 					   &current_layout_dir,