diff --git a/Pmodules/libstd.bash b/Pmodules/libstd.bash
index 6ff6abd..1df2673 100644
--- a/Pmodules/libstd.bash
+++ b/Pmodules/libstd.bash
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ std::append_path () {
 		[[ "${path}" == @(|*:)${dir}@(|:*) ]] && continue
 		dirs+="${dir}:"
 	done
+	[[ -n "${dirs}" ]] || return 0
 
 	# assemble new path
 	dirs="${dirs%:}"		# remove leading ':'
@@ -156,12 +157,13 @@ std::prepend_path () {
 		[[ "${path}" == @(|*:)${dir}@(|:*) ]] && continue
 		dirs+="${dir}:"
 	done
+	[[ -n "${dirs}" ]] || return 0
 
 	# assemble new path
 	dirs="${dirs%:}"		# remove leading ':'
         if [[ -z ${path} ]]; then
                 path="${dirs}"
-        else
+	else
 		path="${dirs}:${path}"
         fi
 }