diff --git a/src/g_game.c b/src/g_game.c
index 3b4670eb4..0a203217c 100644
--- a/src/g_game.c
+++ b/src/g_game.c
@@ -581,6 +581,7 @@ static void G_UpdateRecordReplays(void)
 	char *gpath;
 	char lastdemo[256], bestdemo[256];
 	UINT8 earnedEmblems;
+	int parts;
 
 	// Record new best time
 	if (!mapheaderinfo[gamemap-1]->mainrecord)
@@ -613,17 +614,13 @@ static void G_UpdateRecordReplays(void)
 	G_SetDemoTime(players[consoleplayer].realtime, bestlap);
 	G_CheckDemoStatus();
 
-	gpath = va("%s"PATHSEP"media"PATHSEP"replay"PATHSEP"%s",
-			srb2home, timeattackfolder);
-	M_MkdirEach(gpath, M_PathParts(gpath) - 3, 0755);
-
-	strcat(gpath, PATHSEP);
-	strcat(gpath, G_BuildMapName(gamemap));
+	gpath = xva("%s"PATHSEP"media"PATHSEP"replay"PATHSEP"%s"PATHSEP"%s",
+	        srb2home, timeattackfolder, G_BuildMapName(gamemap));
+	parts = M_PathParts(gpath);
+	M_MkdirEachUntil(gpath, parts - 4, parts - 1, 0755);
 
 	snprintf(lastdemo, 255, "%s-%s-last.lmp", gpath, cv_chooseskin.string);
 
-	gpath = Z_StrDup(gpath);
-
 	if (FIL_FileExists(lastdemo))
 	{
 		UINT8 *buf;
@@ -655,7 +652,7 @@ static void G_UpdateRecordReplays(void)
 		Z_Free(buf);
 	}
 
-	Z_Free(gpath);
+	free(gpath);
 
 	// Check emblems when level data is updated
 	if ((earnedEmblems = M_CheckLevelEmblems()))
diff --git a/src/m_menu.c b/src/m_menu.c
index 3d9985ced..dbdf900fa 100644
--- a/src/m_menu.c
+++ b/src/m_menu.c
@@ -2165,16 +2165,10 @@ void Nextmap_OnChange(void)
 	{
 		// see also p_setup.c's P_LoadRecordGhosts
 		const char *gamemode = (levellistmode == LLM_ITEMBREAKER) ? "IB" : "RA";
-		const size_t glen = strlen(srb2home)+1+strlen("media")+1+strlen("replay")+1+strlen(timeattackfolder)+1+strlen("MAPXX")+1;
-		char *gpath = malloc(glen);
+		char *gpath = xva("%s"PATHSEP"media"PATHSEP"replay"PATHSEP"%s"PATHSEP"%s", srb2home, timeattackfolder, G_BuildMapName(cv_nextmap.value));
 		INT32 i;
 		UINT8 active = 0;
 
-		if (!gpath)
-			return;
-
-		sprintf(gpath,"%s"PATHSEP"media"PATHSEP"replay"PATHSEP"%s"PATHSEP"%s", srb2home, timeattackfolder, G_BuildMapName(cv_nextmap.value));
-
 		CV_StealthSetValue(&cv_dummystaff, 0);
 
 		active = 0;
diff --git a/src/p_setup.c b/src/p_setup.c
index dd6b453a5..03ce5a8fb 100644
--- a/src/p_setup.c
+++ b/src/p_setup.c
@@ -7795,7 +7795,7 @@ static void P_LoadRecordGhosts(void)
 	INT32 i;
 	const char *gamemode = (modeattacking & ATTACKING_ITEMBREAK) ? "IB" : "RA";
 
-	gpath = Z_StrDup(va("%s"PATHSEP"media"PATHSEP"replay"PATHSEP"%s"PATHSEP"%s", srb2home, timeattackfolder, G_BuildMapName(gamemap)));
+	gpath = xva("%s"PATHSEP"media"PATHSEP"replay"PATHSEP"%s"PATHSEP"%s", srb2home, timeattackfolder, G_BuildMapName(gamemap));
 
 	// Best Time ghost
 	if (cv_ghost_besttime.value)
@@ -7856,7 +7856,7 @@ static void P_LoadRecordGhosts(void)
 		}
 	}
 
-	Z_Free(gpath);
+	free(gpath);
 }
 
 static void P_SetupCamera(UINT8 pnum, camera_t *cam)