diff --git a/src/g_game.c b/src/g_game.c
index 0363373f4..fb3bda9ec 100644
--- a/src/g_game.c
+++ b/src/g_game.c
@@ -516,7 +516,6 @@ tic_t G_GetBestLap(INT16 map)
 //
 static void G_UpdateRecordReplays(void)
 {
-	const size_t glen = strlen(srb2home)+1+strlen("media")+strlen("replay")+1+strlen(timeattackfolder)+1+strlen("MAPXX")+1;
 	char *gpath;
 	char lastdemo[256], bestdemo[256];
 	UINT8 earnedEmblems;
@@ -556,12 +555,13 @@ static void G_UpdateRecordReplays(void)
 			srb2home, timeattackfolder);
 	M_MkdirEach(gpath, M_PathParts(gpath) - 3, 0755);
 
-	if ((gpath = malloc(glen)) == NULL)
-		I_Error("Out of memory for replay filepath\n");
+	strcat(gpath, PATHSEP);
+	strcat(gpath, G_BuildMapName(gamemap));
 
-	sprintf(gpath,"%s"PATHSEP"media"PATHSEP"replay"PATHSEP"%s"PATHSEP"%s", srb2home, timeattackfolder, G_BuildMapName(gamemap));
 	snprintf(lastdemo, 255, "%s-%s-last.lmp", gpath, cv_chooseskin.string);
 
+	gpath = Z_StrDup(gpath);
+
 	if (FIL_FileExists(lastdemo))
 	{
 		UINT8 *buf;
@@ -592,7 +592,8 @@ static void G_UpdateRecordReplays(void)
 
 		Z_Free(buf);
 	}
-	free(gpath);
+
+	Z_Free(gpath);
 
 	// Check emblems when level data is updated
 	if ((earnedEmblems = M_CheckLevelEmblems()))
diff --git a/src/k_menufunc.c b/src/k_menufunc.c
index 1f015a907..f02aa2ade 100644
--- a/src/k_menufunc.c
+++ b/src/k_menufunc.c
@@ -3670,7 +3670,6 @@ void M_SetGuestReplay(INT32 choice)
 void M_StartTimeAttack(INT32 choice)
 {
 	char *gpath;
-	const size_t glen = strlen("media")+1+strlen("replay")+1+strlen(timeattackfolder)+1+strlen("MAPXX")+1;
 	char nameofdemo[256];
 
 	(void)choice;
@@ -3713,10 +3712,9 @@ void M_StartTimeAttack(INT32 choice)
 			srb2home, timeattackfolder);
 	M_MkdirEach(gpath, M_PathParts(gpath) - 3, 0755);
 
-	if ((gpath = malloc(glen)) == NULL)
-		I_Error("Out of memory for replay filepath\n");
+	strcat(gpath, PATHSEP);
+	strcat(gpath, G_BuildMapName(levellist.choosemap+1));
 
-	sprintf(gpath,"media"PATHSEP"replay"PATHSEP"%s"PATHSEP"%s", timeattackfolder, G_BuildMapName(levellist.choosemap+1));
 	snprintf(nameofdemo, sizeof nameofdemo, "%s-%s-last", gpath, cv_skin[0].string);
 
 	if (!cv_autorecord.value)
diff --git a/src/p_setup.c b/src/p_setup.c
index f2951b182..c007f116f 100644
--- a/src/p_setup.c
+++ b/src/p_setup.c
@@ -3701,14 +3701,10 @@ static void P_ResetSpawnpoints(void)
 static void P_LoadRecordGhosts(void)
 {
 	// see also k_menu.c's Nextmap_OnChange
-	const size_t glen = strlen(srb2home)+1+strlen("media")+1+strlen("replay")+1+strlen(timeattackfolder)+1+strlen("MAPXX")+1;
-	char *gpath = malloc(glen);
+	char *gpath;
 	INT32 i;
 
-	if (!gpath)
-		return;
-
-	sprintf(gpath,"%s"PATHSEP"media"PATHSEP"replay"PATHSEP"%s"PATHSEP"%s", srb2home, timeattackfolder, G_BuildMapName(gamemap));
+	gpath = Z_StrDup(va("%s"PATHSEP"media"PATHSEP"replay"PATHSEP"%s"PATHSEP"%s", srb2home, timeattackfolder, G_BuildMapName(gamemap)));
 
 	// Best Time ghost
 	if (cv_ghost_besttime.value)
@@ -3771,7 +3767,7 @@ static void P_LoadRecordGhosts(void)
 	}
 #endif //#ifdef STAFFGHOSTS
 
-	free(gpath);
+	Z_Free(gpath);
 }
 
 static void P_SetupCamera(UINT8 pnum, camera_t *cam)