diff --git a/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.cpp b/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.cpp
index a218f6cb8e..522d3028fa 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.cpp
@@ -885,10 +885,8 @@ std::string GetExeDirectory()
 #endif
 }
 
-std::string GetSysDirectory()
+static std::string CreateSysDirectoryPath()
 {
-  std::string sysDir;
-
 #if defined(_WIN32) || defined(LINUX_LOCAL_DEV)
 #define SYSDATA_DIR "Sys"
 #elif defined __APPLE__
@@ -902,25 +900,32 @@ std::string GetSysDirectory()
 #endif
 
 #if defined(__APPLE__)
-  sysDir = GetBundleDirectory() + DIR_SEP + SYSDATA_DIR;
+  const std::string sys_directory = GetBundleDirectory() + DIR_SEP SYSDATA_DIR DIR_SEP;
 #elif defined(_WIN32) || defined(LINUX_LOCAL_DEV)
-  sysDir = GetExeDirectory() + DIR_SEP + SYSDATA_DIR;
+  const std::string sys_directory = GetExeDirectory() + DIR_SEP SYSDATA_DIR DIR_SEP;
 #elif defined ANDROID
-  sysDir = s_android_sys_directory;
-  ASSERT_MSG(COMMON, !sysDir.empty(), "Sys directory has not been set");
+  const std::string sys_directory = s_android_sys_directory + DIR_SEP;
+  ASSERT_MSG(COMMON, !s_android_sys_directory.empty(), "Sys directory has not been set");
 #else
-  sysDir = SYSDATA_DIR;
+  const std::string sys_directory = SYSDATA_DIR DIR_SEP;
 #endif
-  sysDir += DIR_SEP;
 
-  INFO_LOG_FMT(COMMON, "GetSysDirectory: Setting to {}:", sysDir);
-  return sysDir;
+  INFO_LOG_FMT(COMMON, "CreateSysDirectoryPath: Setting to {}", sys_directory);
+  return sys_directory;
+}
+
+const std::string& GetSysDirectory()
+{
+  static const std::string sys_directory = CreateSysDirectoryPath();
+  return sys_directory;
 }
 
 #ifdef ANDROID
 void SetSysDirectory(const std::string& path)
 {
   INFO_LOG_FMT(COMMON, "Setting Sys directory to {}", path);
+  ASSERT_MSG(COMMON, s_android_sys_directory.empty(), "Sys directory already set to {}",
+             s_android_sys_directory);
   s_android_sys_directory = path;
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.h b/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.h
index 0542cb3402..2672e237de 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Common/FileUtil.h
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ void SetUserPath(unsigned int dir_index, std::string path);
 std::string GetThemeDir(const std::string& theme_name);
 
 // Returns the path to where the sys file are
-std::string GetSysDirectory();
+const std::string& GetSysDirectory();
 
 #ifdef ANDROID
 void SetSysDirectory(const std::string& path);