diff --git a/src/bin/e_start_main.c b/src/bin/e_start_main.c
index d2a997a7e..475df235a 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_start_main.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_start_main.c
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ _env_path_prepend(const char *env, const char *path)
         strcat(s, p2);
         if (p)
           {
-             strcat(s, ":");
+             if (p[0] != ':') strcat(s, ":");
              strcat(s, p);
           }
         env_set(env, s);
@@ -252,7 +252,10 @@ _env_path_append(const char *env, const char *path)
         if (p)
           {
              strcat(s, p);
-             strcat(s, ":");
+             if (len > 0)
+               {
+                  if (s[len - 1] != ':') strcat(s, ":");
+               }
           }
         strcat(s, p2);
         env_set(env, s);