diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index c34d95d5..2880396c 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -12,16 +12,28 @@ import (
 
 func setPaths() error {
 	if _configHome, set := os.LookupEnv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME"); set {
+		if _configHome == "" {
+			fmt.Errorf("XDG_CONFIG_HOME set but empty")
+		}
 		configHome = filepath.Join(_configHome, "yay")
 	} else if _configHome, set := os.LookupEnv("HOME"); set {
+		if _configHome == "" {
+			fmt.Errorf("HOME set but empty")
+		}
 		configHome = filepath.Join(_configHome, ".config/yay")
 	} else {
 		fmt.Errorf("XDG_CONFIG_HOME and HOME unset")
 	}
 
 	if _cacheHome, set := os.LookupEnv("XDG_CACHE_HOME"); set {
+		if _cacheHome == "" {
+			fmt.Errorf("XDG_CACHE_HOME set but empty")
+		}
 		cacheHome = filepath.Join(_cacheHome, "yay")
 	} else if _cacheHome, set := os.LookupEnv("HOME"); set {
+		if _cacheHome == "" {
+			fmt.Errorf("XDG_CACHE_HOME set but empty")
+		}
 		cacheHome = filepath.Join(_cacheHome, ".cache/yay")
 	} else {
 		fmt.Errorf("XDG_CACHE_HOME and HOME unset")