diff --git a/src/filesystem.rs b/src/filesystem.rs
index 846b11b..0aa2441 100644
--- a/src/filesystem.rs
+++ b/src/filesystem.rs
@@ -93,13 +93,8 @@ pub fn strip_current_dir(pathbuf: &PathBuf) -> &Path {
     iter.as_path()
 }
 
-pub fn replace_path_separator<'a>(path_separator: &Option<String>, path: &mut Cow<'a, str>) {
-    match &path_separator {
-        None => {}
-        Some(sep) => {
-            *path.to_mut() = path.replace(std::path::MAIN_SEPARATOR, &sep);
-        }
-    }
+pub fn replace_path_separator<'a>(path: &str, new_path_separator: &str) -> String {
+    path.replace(std::path::MAIN_SEPARATOR, &new_path_separator)
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/src/output.rs b/src/output.rs
index 1d6c100..fcc9ed7 100644
--- a/src/output.rs
+++ b/src/output.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,9 @@ fn print_entry_colorized(
             .unwrap_or(default_style);
 
         let mut path_string = component.to_string_lossy();
-        replace_path_separator(&config.path_separator, &mut path_string);
+        if let Some(ref separator) = config.path_separator {
+            *path_string.to_mut() = replace_path_separator(&path_string, &separator);
+        }
         write!(stdout, "{}", style.paint(path_string))?;
 
         // TODO: can we move this out of the if-statement? Why do we call it that often?
@@ -78,7 +80,9 @@ fn print_entry_uncolorized(
 ) -> io::Result<()> {
     let separator = if config.null_separator { "\0" } else { "\n" };
 
-    let mut path_str = path.to_string_lossy();
-    replace_path_separator(&config.path_separator, &mut path_str);
-    write!(stdout, "{}{}", path_str, separator)
+    let mut path_string = path.to_string_lossy();
+    if let Some(ref separator) = config.path_separator {
+        *path_string.to_mut() = replace_path_separator(&path_string, &separator);
+    }
+    write!(stdout, "{}{}", path_string, separator)
 }