diff --git a/src/pc/lua/utils/smlua_misc_utils.c b/src/pc/lua/utils/smlua_misc_utils.c
index ed7b0e586..e16506914 100644
--- a/src/pc/lua/utils/smlua_misc_utils.c
+++ b/src/pc/lua/utils/smlua_misc_utils.c
@@ -602,12 +602,21 @@ struct Mod* get_active_mod(void) {
 }
 
 LuaTable get_mod_files(struct Mod* mod, const char* subDirectory) {
-    char* normalizedSubDir = malloc(strlen(subDirectory) + 2);
-    strcpy(normalizedSubDir, subDirectory);
+    if (!mod || !subDirectory) {
+        struct lua_State *L = gLuaState;
+        if (L) {
+            lua_newtable(L);
+            return smlua_to_lua_table(L, -1);
+        }
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    char normalizedSubDir[SYS_MAX_PATH] = { 0 };
+    snprintf(normalizedSubDir, SYS_MAX_PATH, "%s", subDirectory);
     normalize_path(normalizedSubDir);
 
     size_t subDirLen = strlen(normalizedSubDir);
-    if (subDirLen > 0 && normalizedSubDir[subDirLen - 1] != '/') {
+    if (subDirLen > 0 && subDirLen + 1 < SYS_MAX_PATH && normalizedSubDir[subDirLen - 1] != '/') {
         strcat(normalizedSubDir, "/");
         subDirLen = strlen(normalizedSubDir);
     }
@@ -622,21 +631,21 @@ LuaTable get_mod_files(struct Mod* mod, const char* subDirectory) {
     int luaTableIndex = 1;
     for (int i = 0; i < mod->fileCount; i++) {
         struct ModFile* file = &mod->files[i];
-        char* normalizedPath = strdup(file->relativePath);
+        char normalizedPath[SYS_MAX_PATH] = { 0 };
+        if (snprintf(normalizedPath, SYS_MAX_PATH, "%s", file->relativePath) < 0) {
+            LOG_ERROR("Failed to copy relativePath for normalization: %s", file->relativePath);
+            continue;
+        }
         normalize_path(normalizedPath);
 
         if (strncmp(normalizedPath, normalizedSubDir, subDirLen) == 0) {
             lua_pushstring(L, file->relativePath);
             lua_rawseti(L, -2, luaTableIndex++);
         }
-
-        free(normalizedPath);
     }
 
     LUA_STACK_CHECK_END(L);
 
-    free(normalizedSubDir);
-
     return smlua_to_lua_table(L, -1);
 }