diff --git a/lib/cookie.c b/lib/cookie.c
index 914a4aca12..b72dd99bce 100644
--- a/lib/cookie.c
+++ b/lib/cookie.c
@@ -296,9 +296,9 @@ static char *sanitize_cookie_path(const char *cookie_path)
     /* Let cookie-path be the default-path. */
     return strdup("/");
 
-  /* remove trailing slash */
+  /* remove trailing slash when path is non-empty */
   /* convert /hoge/ to /hoge */
-  if(len && cookie_path[len - 1] == '/')
+  if(len > 1 && cookie_path[len - 1] == '/')
     len--;
 
   return Curl_memdup0(cookie_path, len);
@@ -965,7 +965,7 @@ replace_existing(struct Curl_easy *data,
          clist->spath && co->spath && /* both have paths */
          clist->secure && !co->secure && !secure) {
         size_t cllen;
-        const char *sep;
+        const char *sep = NULL;
 
         /*
          * A non-secure cookie may not overlay an existing secure cookie.
@@ -974,8 +974,9 @@ replace_existing(struct Curl_easy *data,
          * "/loginhelper" is ok.
          */
 
-        sep = strchr(clist->spath + 1, '/');
-
+        DEBUGASSERT(clist->spath[0]);
+        if(clist->spath[0])
+          sep = strchr(clist->spath + 1, '/');
         if(sep)
           cllen = sep - clist->spath;
         else