diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index d04d14e32..714cb533e 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ ver 0.16 (20??/??/??)
   - "load" supports remote playlists (extm3u, pls, asx, xspf, lastfm://)
   - allow changing replay gain mode on-the-fly
   - omitting the range end is possible
+  - "update" checks if the path is malformed
 * archive:
   - iso: renamed plugin to "iso9660"
   - zip: renamed plugin to "zzip"
diff --git a/src/command.c b/src/command.c
index e591d06e3..ab1a7b0a9 100644
--- a/src/command.c
+++ b/src/command.c
@@ -1055,9 +1055,16 @@ handle_update(struct client *client, G_GNUC_UNUSED int argc, char *argv[])
 	unsigned ret;
 
 	assert(argc <= 2);
-	if (argc == 2)
+	if (argc == 2) {
 		path = argv[1];
 
+		if (!uri_safe_local(path)) {
+			command_error(client, ACK_ERROR_ARG,
+				      "Malformed path");
+			return COMMAND_RETURN_ERROR;
+		}
+	}
+
 	ret = update_enqueue(path, false);
 	if (ret > 0) {
 		client_printf(client, "updating_db: %i\n", ret);
@@ -1076,9 +1083,16 @@ handle_rescan(struct client *client, G_GNUC_UNUSED int argc, char *argv[])
 	unsigned ret;
 
 	assert(argc <= 2);
-	if (argc == 2)
+	if (argc == 2) {
 		path = argv[1];
 
+		if (!uri_safe_local(path)) {
+			command_error(client, ACK_ERROR_ARG,
+				      "Malformed path");
+			return COMMAND_RETURN_ERROR;
+		}
+	}
+
 	ret = update_enqueue(path, true);
 	if (ret > 0) {
 		client_printf(client, "updating_db: %i\n", ret);