diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/src/Module.cpp b/slsDetectorSoftware/src/Module.cpp
index 33603c6ea..075d6f739 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/src/Module.cpp
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/src/Module.cpp
@@ -3332,7 +3332,13 @@ void Module::initializeModuleStructure(detectorType type) {
     shm()->numberOfModule.y = 0;
     shm()->controlPort = DEFAULT_TCP_CNTRL_PORTNO;
     shm()->stopPort = DEFAULT_TCP_STOP_PORTNO;
-    strcpy_safe(shm()->settingsDir, getenv("HOME"));
+    char *home_directory = getenv("HOME");
+    if (home_directory != nullptr)
+        strcpy_safe(shm()->settingsDir, home_directory);
+    else {
+        strcpy_safe(shm()->settingsDir, "");
+        LOG(logWARNING) << "HOME directory not set";
+    }
     strcpy_safe(shm()->rxHostname, "none");
     shm()->rxTCPPort = DEFAULT_TCP_RX_PORTNO + moduleIndex;
     shm()->useReceiverFlag = false;
diff --git a/slsSupportLib/include/sls/string_utils.h b/slsSupportLib/include/sls/string_utils.h
index eec1a0c08..86a5d0caf 100644
--- a/slsSupportLib/include/sls/string_utils.h
+++ b/slsSupportLib/include/sls/string_utils.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Still this is better than strcpy and a buffer overflow...
 */
 template <size_t array_size>
 void strcpy_safe(char (&destination)[array_size], const char *source) {
+    assert(source != nullptr);
     assert(array_size > strlen(source));
     strncpy(destination, source, array_size - 1);
     destination[array_size - 1] = '\0';