diff --git a/src/fs_path.cpp b/src/fs_path.cpp
index ba0919d8..861973f3 100644
--- a/src/fs_path.cpp
+++ b/src/fs_path.cpp
@@ -40,32 +40,25 @@ namespace fs
     string
     dirname(const string &path_)
     {
-      string rv;
-      string::reverse_iterator i;
-      string::reverse_iterator ei;
+      std::size_t i;
 
-      rv = path_;
+      i = path_.size() - 1;
+      while((i > 0) && (path_[i] == '/'))
+        i--;
 
-      i  = rv.rbegin();
-      ei = rv.rend();
-      while(*i == '/' && i != ei)
-        i++;
+      while((i > 0) && (path_[i] != '/'))
+        i--;
 
-      while(*i != '/' && i != ei)
-        i++;
+      while((i > 0) && (path_[i] == '/'))
+        i--;
 
-      while(*i == '/' && i != ei)
-        i++;
-
-      rv.erase(i.base(),rv.end());
-
-      return rv;
+      return path_.substr(0,i+1);
     }
 
     string
-    basename(const string &path)
+    basename(const string &path_)
     {
-      return path.substr(path.find_last_of('/')+1);
+      return path_.substr(path_.find_last_of('/')+1);
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/policy_msplfs.cpp b/src/policy_msplfs.cpp
index 242d95c9..3d6a6f61 100644
--- a/src/policy_msplfs.cpp
+++ b/src/policy_msplfs.cpp
@@ -85,15 +85,15 @@ namespace msplfs
 
     error = ENOENT;
     fusepath = fusepath_;
-    do
+    for(;;)
       {
         basepath = msplfs::create_1(branches_,fusepath,&error);
         if(basepath)
           break;
-
+        if(fusepath == "/")
+          break;
         fusepath = fs::path::dirname(fusepath);
       }
-    while(!fusepath.empty());
 
     if(basepath == NULL)
       return (errno=error,-1);
diff --git a/src/policy_msplus.cpp b/src/policy_msplus.cpp
index 98d71157..28278fc2 100644
--- a/src/policy_msplus.cpp
+++ b/src/policy_msplus.cpp
@@ -85,15 +85,15 @@ namespace msplus
 
     error = ENOENT;
     fusepath = fusepath_;
-    do
+    for(;;)
       {
         basepath = msplus::create_1(branches_,fusepath,&error);
         if(basepath)
           break;
-
+        if(fusepath == "/")
+          break;
         fusepath = fs::path::dirname(fusepath);
       }
-    while(!fusepath.empty());
 
     if(basepath == NULL)
       return (errno=error,-1);
diff --git a/src/policy_mspmfs.cpp b/src/policy_mspmfs.cpp
index 14dc920d..edc8e9b6 100644
--- a/src/policy_mspmfs.cpp
+++ b/src/policy_mspmfs.cpp
@@ -85,15 +85,15 @@ namespace mspmfs
 
     error = ENOENT;
     fusepath = fusepath_;
-    do
+    for(;;)
       {
         basepath = mspmfs::create_1(branches_,fusepath,&error);
         if(basepath)
           break;
-
+        if(fusepath == "/")
+          break;
         fusepath = fs::path::dirname(fusepath);
       }
-    while(!fusepath.empty());
 
     if(basepath == NULL)
       return (errno=error,-1);
diff --git a/src/policy_msppfrd.cpp b/src/policy_msppfrd.cpp
index 0fa7ccaf..dd4f8931 100644
--- a/src/policy_msppfrd.cpp
+++ b/src/policy_msppfrd.cpp
@@ -108,15 +108,15 @@ namespace msppfrd
     string fusepath;
 
     fusepath = fusepath_;
-    do
+    for(;;)
       {
         error = msppfrd::create_1(branches_,fusepath,branchinfo_,sum_);
         if(branchinfo_->size())
-          return error;
-
+          break;
+        if(fusepath == "/")
+          break;
         fusepath = fs::path::dirname(fusepath);
       }
-    while(!fusepath.empty());
 
     return error;
   }