diff --git a/common/CheckPath.h b/common/CheckPath.h
index ebbb7c4c..e685b526 100644
--- a/common/CheckPath.h
+++ b/common/CheckPath.h
@@ -8,13 +8,10 @@
 #include "JFJochException.h"
 
 inline void CheckPath(const std::string &s) {
-    if (s.empty())
-        throw JFJochException(JFJochExceptionCategory::InputParameterInvalid,
-                              "Path cannot be empty");
-    if (s.front() == '/')
+    if (!s.empty() && s.front() == '/')
         throw JFJochException(JFJochExceptionCategory::InputParameterInvalid,
                               "Path cannot start with slash");
-    if (s.substr(0,3) == "../")
+    if (s.size() >= 3 && s.substr(0,3) == "../")
         throw JFJochException(JFJochExceptionCategory::InputParameterInvalid,
                               "Path cannot start with ../");
     if (s.find("/../") != std::string::npos)