diff --git a/uri.c b/uri.c
index 1e5e03f..807b183 100644
@@ -558,10 +558,14 @@ xmlParse3986PathAbEmpty(xmlURIPtr uri, const char **str)
     }
     if (uri != NULL) {
 	if (uri->path != NULL) xmlFree(uri->path);
-	if (uri->cleanup & 2)
-	    uri->path = STRNDUP(*str, cur - *str);
-	else
-	    uri->path = xmlURIUnescapeString(*str, cur - *str, NULL);
+        if (*str != cur) {
+            if (uri->cleanup & 2)
+                uri->path = STRNDUP(*str, cur - *str);
+            else
+                uri->path = xmlURIUnescapeString(*str, cur - *str, NULL);
+        } else {
+            uri->path = NULL;
+        }
     }
     *str = cur;
     return (0);
@@ -600,10 +604,14 @@ xmlParse3986PathAbsolute(xmlURIPtr uri, const char **str)
     }
     if (uri != NULL) {
 	if (uri->path != NULL) xmlFree(uri->path);
-	if (uri->cleanup & 2)
-	    uri->path = STRNDUP(*str, cur - *str);
-	else
-	    uri->path = xmlURIUnescapeString(*str, cur - *str, NULL);
+        if (cur != *str) {
+            if (uri->cleanup & 2)
+                uri->path = STRNDUP(*str, cur - *str);
+            else
+                uri->path = xmlURIUnescapeString(*str, cur - *str, NULL);
+        } else {
+            uri->path = NULL;
+        }
     }
     *str = cur;
     return (0);
@@ -638,10 +646,14 @@ xmlParse3986PathRootless(xmlURIPtr uri, const char **str)
     }
     if (uri != NULL) {
 	if (uri->path != NULL) xmlFree(uri->path);
-	if (uri->cleanup & 2)
-	    uri->path = STRNDUP(*str, cur - *str);
-	else
-	    uri->path = xmlURIUnescapeString(*str, cur - *str, NULL);
+        if (cur != *str) {
+            if (uri->cleanup & 2)
+                uri->path = STRNDUP(*str, cur - *str);
+            else
+                uri->path = xmlURIUnescapeString(*str, cur - *str, NULL);
+        } else {
+            uri->path = NULL;
+        }
     }
     *str = cur;
     return (0);
@@ -676,10 +688,14 @@ xmlParse3986PathNoScheme(xmlURIPtr uri, const char **str)
     }
     if (uri != NULL) {
 	if (uri->path != NULL) xmlFree(uri->path);
-	if (uri->cleanup & 2)
-	    uri->path = STRNDUP(*str, cur - *str);
-	else
-	    uri->path = xmlURIUnescapeString(*str, cur - *str, NULL);
+        if (cur != *str) {
+            if (uri->cleanup & 2)
+                uri->path = STRNDUP(*str, cur - *str);
+            else
+                uri->path = xmlURIUnescapeString(*str, cur - *str, NULL);
+        } else {
+            uri->path = NULL;
+        }
     }
     *str = cur;
     return (0);