diff --git a/src/conf.c b/src/conf.c
index 1addd7e82..d76d4ad9b 100644
--- a/src/conf.c
+++ b/src/conf.c
@@ -397,55 +397,12 @@ ConfigParam *parseConfigFilePath(char *name, int force)
 	if (!param)
 		return NULL;
 
-	path = param->value;
+	path = parsePath(param->value);
+	if (!path)
+		FATAL("error parsing \"%s\" at line %i\n", name, param->line);
 
-	if (path[0] != '/' && path[0] != '~') {
-		FATAL("\"%s\" is not an absolute path at line %i\n",
-		      param->value, param->line);
-	}
-	/* Parse ~ in path */
-	else if (path[0] == '~') {
-		struct passwd *pwd = NULL;
-		char *newPath;
-		int pos = 1;
-		if (path[1] == '/' || path[1] == '\0') {
-			ConfigParam *userParam = getConfigParam(CONF_USER);
-
-			if (userParam) {
-				pwd = getpwnam(userParam->value);
-				if (!pwd) {
-					FATAL("no such user %s at line %i\n",
-					      userParam->value,
-					      userParam->line);
-				}
-			} else {
-				uid_t uid = geteuid();
-				if ((pwd = getpwuid(uid)) == NULL) {
-					FATAL("problems getting passwd entry "
-					      "for current user\n");
-				}
-			}
-		} else {
-			int foundSlash = 0;
-			char *ch = path + 1;
-			for (; *ch != '\0' && *ch != '/'; ch++) ;
-			if (*ch == '/')
-				foundSlash = 1;
-			*ch = '\0';
-			pos += ch - path - 1;
-			if ((pwd = getpwnam(path + 1)) == NULL) {
-				FATAL("user \"%s\" not found at line %i\n",
-				      path + 1, param->line);
-			}
-			if (foundSlash)
-				*ch = '/';
-		}
-		newPath = xmalloc(strlen(pwd->pw_dir) + strlen(path + pos) + 1);
-		strcpy(newPath, pwd->pw_dir);
-		strcat(newPath, path + pos);
-		free(param->value);
-		param->value = newPath;
-	}
+	free(param->value);
+	param->value = path;
 
 	return param;
 }
diff --git a/src/utils.c b/src/utils.c
index a6dd9d8ae..ea7edb4c5 100644
--- a/src/utils.c
+++ b/src/utils.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "log.h"
+#include "conf.h"
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@
 #include <sys/time.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <assert.h>
+#include <pwd.h>
 
 char *myFgets(char *buffer, int bufferSize, FILE * fp)
 {
@@ -158,4 +160,60 @@ mpd_malloc void *xcalloc(size_t nmemb, size_t size)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+char *parsePath(char *path)
+{
+	ConfigParam *param;
+	struct passwd *passwd;
+	char *newPath;
+	char *c;
+	int foundSlash = 0;
+	int pos = 1;
 
+	if (path[0] != '/' && path[0] != '~') {
+		ERROR("\"%s\" is not an absolute path\n", path);
+		return NULL;
+	} else if (path[0] == '~') {
+		if (path[1] == '/' || path[1] == '\0') {
+			param = getConfigParam(CONF_USER);
+			if (param && param->value) {
+				passwd = getpwnam(param->value);
+				if (!passwd) {
+					ERROR("no such user %s\n",
+				              param->value);
+					return NULL;
+				}
+			} else {
+				passwd = getpwuid(geteuid());
+				if (!passwd) {
+					ERROR("problems getting passwd entry "
+					      "for current user\n");
+					return NULL;
+				}
+			}
+		} else {
+			for (c = path + 1; *c != '\0' && *c != '/'; c++);
+			if (*c == '/') {
+				foundSlash = 1;
+				*c = '\0';
+			}
+			pos = c - path;
+
+			passwd = getpwnam(path + 1);
+			if (!passwd) {
+				ERROR("user \"%s\" not found\n", path + 1);
+				return NULL;
+			}
+
+			if (foundSlash)
+				*c = '/';
+		}
+
+		newPath = xmalloc(strlen(passwd->pw_dir) + strlen(path + pos) + 1);
+		strcpy(newPath, passwd->pw_dir);
+		strcat(newPath, path + pos);
+	} else {
+		newPath = xstrdup(path);
+	}
+
+	return newPath;
+}
diff --git a/src/utils.h b/src/utils.h
index 2f911499b..09a9bc4e8 100644
--- a/src/utils.h
+++ b/src/utils.h
@@ -82,4 +82,6 @@ mpd_malloc void *xrealloc(void *ptr, size_t size);
 
 mpd_malloc void *xcalloc(size_t nmemb, size_t size);
 
+char *parsePath(char *path);
+
 #endif