diff --git a/src/conf.c b/src/conf.c
index b3b684aa5..245a2a811 100644
--- a/src/conf.c
+++ b/src/conf.c
@@ -513,11 +513,11 @@ config_dup_path(const char *name, GError **error_r)
 	if (param == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 
-	char *path = parsePath(param->value);
+	char *path = parsePath(param->value, error_r);
 	if (G_UNLIKELY(path == NULL))
-		g_set_error(error_r, config_quark(), 0,
-			    "Invalid path in \"%s\" at line %i",
-			    name, param->line);
+		g_prefix_error(error_r,
+			       "Invalid path in \"%s\" at line %i: ",
+			       name, param->line);
 
 	return path;
 }
diff --git a/src/output/fifo_output_plugin.c b/src/output/fifo_output_plugin.c
index 8f2234dd7..e522ef6b9 100644
--- a/src/output/fifo_output_plugin.c
+++ b/src/output/fifo_output_plugin.c
@@ -190,11 +190,11 @@ fifo_output_init(G_GNUC_UNUSED const struct audio_format *audio_format,
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	path = parsePath(value);
+	path = parsePath(value, error);
 	g_free(value);
 	if (!path) {
-		g_set_error(error, fifo_output_quark(), errno,
-			    "Could not parse \"path\" parameter");
+		g_prefix_error(error, "Invalid path in line %i: ",
+			       param->line);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/utils.c b/src/utils.c
index f8c08a08e..d3b21d369 100644
--- a/src/utils.c
+++ b/src/utils.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 #include "utils.h"
+#include "glib_compat.h"
 #include "conf.h"
 
 #include <glib.h>
@@ -41,12 +42,23 @@
 #include <windows.h>
 #endif
 
-char *
-parsePath(const char *path)
+G_GNUC_CONST
+static inline GQuark
+parse_path_quark(void)
 {
+	return g_quark_from_static_string("path");
+}
+
+char *
+parsePath(const char *path, G_GNUC_UNUSED GError **error_r)
+{
+	assert(path != NULL);
+	assert(error_r == NULL || *error_r == NULL);
+
 #ifndef WIN32
 	if (!g_path_is_absolute(path) && path[0] != '~') {
-		g_warning("\"%s\" is not an absolute path", path);
+		g_set_error(error_r, parse_path_quark(), 0,
+			    "not an absolute path: %s", path);
 		return NULL;
 	} else if (path[0] == '~') {
 		const char *home;
@@ -56,7 +68,8 @@ parsePath(const char *path)
 			if (user != NULL) {
 				struct passwd *passwd = getpwnam(user);
 				if (!passwd) {
-					g_warning("no such user %s", user);
+					g_set_error(error_r, parse_path_quark(), 0,
+						    "no such user: %s", user);
 					return NULL;
 				}
 
@@ -64,8 +77,9 @@ parsePath(const char *path)
 			} else {
 				home = g_get_home_dir();
 				if (home == NULL) {
-					g_warning("problems getting home "
-						  "for current user");
+					g_set_error_literal(error_r, parse_path_quark(), 0,
+							    "problems getting home "
+							    "for current user");
 					return NULL;
 				}
 			}
@@ -81,7 +95,8 @@ parsePath(const char *path)
 
 			struct passwd *passwd = getpwnam(user);
 			if (!passwd) {
-				g_warning("user \"%s\" not found", user);
+				g_set_error(error_r, parse_path_quark(), 0,
+					    "no such user: %s", user);
 				g_free(user);
 				return NULL;
 			}
diff --git a/src/utils.h b/src/utils.h
index df36d1da0..f8d6657f2 100644
--- a/src/utils.h
+++ b/src/utils.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #ifndef MPD_UTILS_H
 #define MPD_UTILS_H
 
+#include <glib.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 
 #ifndef assert_static
@@ -32,6 +33,6 @@
 #endif /* !assert_static */
 
 char *
-parsePath(const char *path);
+parsePath(const char *path, GError **error_r);
 
 #endif