diff --git a/source/blender/asset_system/intern/asset_essentials_library.cc b/source/blender/asset_system/intern/asset_essentials_library.cc
index 8a4e51af27a..70b15394df2 100644
--- a/source/blender/asset_system/intern/asset_essentials_library.cc
+++ b/source/blender/asset_system/intern/asset_essentials_library.cc
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ StringRefNull essentials_directory_path()
 {
   static std::string path = []() {
     const char *datafiles_path = BKE_appdir_folder_id(BLENDER_DATAFILES, "assets");
+    if (datafiles_path == nullptr) {
+      return "";
+    }
     return datafiles_path;
   }();
   return path;
diff --git a/source/blender/asset_system/intern/asset_library_service.cc b/source/blender/asset_system/intern/asset_library_service.cc
index bdffbc17a16..1ce1fdd0dc8 100644
--- a/source/blender/asset_system/intern/asset_library_service.cc
+++ b/source/blender/asset_system/intern/asset_library_service.cc
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ AssetLibrary *AssetLibraryService::get_asset_library(
   switch (type) {
     case ASSET_LIBRARY_ESSENTIALS: {
       const StringRefNull root_path = essentials_directory_path();
+      if (root_path.is_empty()) {
+        return nullptr;
+      }
 
       AssetLibrary *library = get_asset_library_on_disk(root_path);
       library->import_method_ = ASSET_IMPORT_APPEND_REUSE;