diff --git a/parse_util.cpp b/parse_util.cpp
index 971e258b5..9a3e217f8 100644
--- a/parse_util.cpp
+++ b/parse_util.cpp
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ int parse_util_load( const wcstring &cmd,
 					 void (*on_load)(const wchar_t *cmd),
 					 int reload )
 {
-	wchar_t *path_var;
+	wcstring path_var;
 
 	int res;
 	int c, c2;
@@ -811,12 +811,12 @@ int parse_util_load( const wcstring &cmd,
 //	debug( 0, L"Autoload %ls in %ls", cmd, path_var_name );
 
 	parse_util_autounload( path_var_name.c_str(), cmd.c_str(), on_load );
-	path_var = env_get( path_var_name.c_str() );	
+	path_var = env_get_string( path_var_name.c_str() );	
 	
 	/*
 	  Do we know where to look?
 	*/
-	if( !path_var )
+	if( path_var.empty() )
 	{
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -856,9 +856,9 @@ int parse_util_load( const wcstring &cmd,
 		  We have never tried to autoload using this path name before,
 		  set up initial data
 		*/
-//		debug( 0, L"Create brand new autoload_t for %ls->%ls", path_var_name, path_var );
+//		debug( 0, L"Create brand new autoload_t for %ls->%ls", path_var_name, path_var.c_str() );
         loaded = &all_loaded_map[path_var_name];
-		loaded->old_path = path_var;
+		loaded->old_path = wcsdup(path_var.c_str());
 	}
 
     std::vector<wcstring> path_list;
diff --git a/parser.cpp b/parser.cpp
index ed9cab0e7..ed2e7cd56 100644
--- a/parser.cpp
+++ b/parser.cpp
@@ -2043,7 +2043,9 @@ static int parse_job( process_t *p,
 						}
 						else if(cmd[0]==L'$')
 						{
-							wchar_t *val = env_get( cmd+1 );
+							
+							const wcstring val_wstr = env_get_string( cmd+1 );
+							const wchar_t *val = val_wstr.empty()?NULL:val_wstr.c_str();	
 							if( val )
 							{
 								debug( 0,
diff --git a/path.cpp b/path.cpp
index 00f747c2c..2171720ec 100644
--- a/path.cpp
+++ b/path.cpp
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ bool path_get_path_string(const wcstring &cmd_str, wcstring &output, const env_v
 
 wchar_t *path_get_path( void *context, const wchar_t *cmd )
 {
-	wchar_t *path;
+	const wchar_t *path;
 
 	int err = ENOENT;
 	
@@ -166,7 +166,8 @@ wchar_t *path_get_path( void *context, const wchar_t *cmd )
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		path = env_get(L"PATH");
+		const wcstring path_wstr = env_get_string(L"PATH");
+		path = path_wstr.empty()?NULL:path_wstr.c_str();
 		if( path == 0 )
 		{
 			if( contains( PREFIX L"/bin", L"/bin", L"/usr/bin" ) )
@@ -189,7 +190,7 @@ wchar_t *path_get_path( void *context, const wchar_t *cmd )
 		  its arguments
 		*/
 		wchar_t *path_cpy = wcsdup( path );
-		wchar_t *nxt_path = path;
+		const wchar_t *nxt_path = path;
 		wchar_t *state;
 			
 		if( (new_cmd==0) || (path_cpy==0) )
@@ -356,20 +357,21 @@ wchar_t *path_get_cdpath( void *context, const wchar_t *dir )
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		wchar_t *path;
+		const wchar_t *path;
 		wchar_t *path_cpy;
 		wchar_t *nxt_path;
 		wchar_t *state;
 		wchar_t *whole_path;
 
-		path = env_get(L"CDPATH");
+		const wcstring path_wstr = env_get_string(L"CDPATH");
+		path = path_wstr.empty()?NULL:path_wstr.c_str();
 
 		if( !path || !wcslen(path) )
 		{
 			path = L".";
 		}
 
-		nxt_path = path;
+		nxt_path = const_cast<wchar_t*>(path);
 		path_cpy = wcsdup( path );
 
 		if( !path_cpy )
@@ -437,11 +439,12 @@ wchar_t *path_get_cdpath( void *context, const wchar_t *dir )
 
 wchar_t *path_get_config( void *context)
 {
-	wchar_t *xdg_dir, *home;
+	const wchar_t *xdg_dir, *home;
 	int done = 0;
 	wchar_t *res = 0;
 	
-	xdg_dir = env_get( L"XDG_CONFIG_HOME" );
+	const wcstring xdg_dir_wstr  = env_get_string( L"XDG_CONFIG_HOME" );
+	xdg_dir = xdg_dir_wstr.empty()?NULL:xdg_dir_wstr.c_str(); 
 	if( xdg_dir )
 	{
 		res = wcsdupcat( xdg_dir, L"/fish" );
@@ -457,7 +460,8 @@ wchar_t *path_get_config( void *context)
 	}
 	else
 	{		
-		home = env_get( L"HOME" );
+		const wcstring home_wstr = env_get_string( L"HOME" );
+		home = home_wstr.empty()?NULL:home_wstr.c_str();
 		if( home )
 		{
 			res = wcsdupcat( home, L"/.config/fish" );