diff --git a/src/browser.c b/src/browser.c
index 940f08e..e0247a2 100644
--- a/src/browser.c
+++ b/src/browser.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ static size_t selected = 0;
  * start browsing from. */
 char *do_browser(char *path)
 {
-    char *retval = NULL, *newpath = NULL;
+    char *retval = NULL, *newpath = mallocstrcpy(NULL, path);
     int kbinput;
     char *present_name = NULL;
 	/* The name of the currently selected file, or of the directory we
@@ -55,14 +55,7 @@ char *do_browser(char *path)
 	/* The number of the selected file before the current selected file. */
     functionptrtype func;
 	/* The function of the key the user typed in. */
-    DIR *dir = opendir(path);
-
-    /* If we can't open the given directory, forget it. */
-    if (dir == NULL) {
-	beep();
-	free(path);
-	return NULL;
-    }
+    DIR *dir;
 
     /* Don't show a cursor in the file list. */
     curs_set(0);