diff --git a/dll/win32/dbghelp/dbghelp.c b/dll/win32/dbghelp/dbghelp.c
index c67f973012..71caf8281d 100644
--- a/dll/win32/dbghelp/dbghelp.c
+++ b/dll/win32/dbghelp/dbghelp.c
@@ -191,6 +191,37 @@ struct cpu* cpu_find(DWORD machine)
     return NULL;
 }
 
+static WCHAR *make_default_search_path(void)
+{
+    WCHAR*              search_path;
+    unsigned            size;
+    unsigned            len;
+    static const WCHAR  sym_path[] = {'_','N','T','_','S','Y','M','B','O','L','_','P','A','T','H',0};
+    static const WCHAR  alt_sym_path[] = {'_','N','T','_','A','L','T','E','R','N','A','T','E','_','S','Y','M','B','O','L','_','P','A','T','H',0};
+
+    size = 1;
+    search_path = HeapAlloc(GetProcessHeap(), 0, (size + 1) * sizeof(WCHAR));
+    search_path[0] = '.';
+    search_path[1] = 0;
+
+    len = GetEnvironmentVariableW(sym_path, NULL, 0);
+    if (len)
+    {
+        search_path = HeapReAlloc(GetProcessHeap(), 0, search_path, (size + 1 + len + 1) * sizeof(WCHAR));
+        search_path[size] = ';';
+        GetEnvironmentVariableW(sym_path, search_path + size + 1, len);
+        size += 1 + len;
+    }
+    len = GetEnvironmentVariableW(alt_sym_path, NULL, 0);
+    if (len)
+    {
+        search_path = HeapReAlloc(GetProcessHeap(), 0, search_path, (size + 1 + len + 1) * sizeof(WCHAR));
+        search_path[size] = ';';
+        GetEnvironmentVariableW(alt_sym_path, search_path + size + 1, len);
+    }
+    return search_path;
+}
+
 /******************************************************************
  *		SymSetSearchPathW (DBGHELP.@)
  *
@@ -219,12 +250,18 @@ BOOL WINAPI SymSetSearchPath(HANDLE hProcess, PCSTR searchPath)
     unsigned    len;
     WCHAR*      sp;
 
-    len = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_ACP, 0, searchPath, -1, NULL, 0);
-    if ((sp = HeapAlloc(GetProcessHeap(), 0, len * sizeof(WCHAR))))
+    if (searchPath)
     {
+        len = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_ACP, 0, searchPath, -1, NULL, 0);
+        sp = HeapAlloc(GetProcessHeap(), 0, len * sizeof(WCHAR));
+        if (!sp) return FALSE;
         MultiByteToWideChar(CP_ACP, 0, searchPath, -1, sp, len);
+    }
 
-        ret = SymSetSearchPathW(hProcess, sp);
+    ret = SymSetSearchPathW(hProcess, sp);
+ 
+    if (searchPath)
+    {
         HeapFree(GetProcessHeap(), 0, sp);
     }
     return ret;
@@ -448,31 +485,7 @@ BOOL WINAPI SymInitializeW(HANDLE hProcess, PCWSTR UserSearchPath, BOOL fInvadeP
     }
     else
     {
-        unsigned        size;
-        unsigned        len;
-        static const WCHAR      sym_path[] = {'_','N','T','_','S','Y','M','B','O','L','_','P','A','T','H',0};
-        static const WCHAR      alt_sym_path[] = {'_','N','T','_','A','L','T','E','R','N','A','T','E','_','S','Y','M','B','O','L','_','P','A','T','H',0};
-
-        pcs->search_path = HeapAlloc(GetProcessHeap(), 0, (len = MAX_PATH) * sizeof(WCHAR));
-        while ((size = GetCurrentDirectoryW(len, pcs->search_path)) >= len)
-            pcs->search_path = HeapReAlloc(GetProcessHeap(), 0, pcs->search_path, (len *= 2) * sizeof(WCHAR));
-        pcs->search_path = HeapReAlloc(GetProcessHeap(), 0, pcs->search_path, (size + 1) * sizeof(WCHAR));
-
-        len = GetEnvironmentVariableW(sym_path, NULL, 0);
-        if (len)
-        {
-            pcs->search_path = HeapReAlloc(GetProcessHeap(), 0, pcs->search_path, (size + 1 + len + 1) * sizeof(WCHAR));
-            pcs->search_path[size] = ';';
-            GetEnvironmentVariableW(sym_path, pcs->search_path + size + 1, len);
-            size += 1 + len;
-        }
-        len = GetEnvironmentVariableW(alt_sym_path, NULL, 0);
-        if (len)
-        {
-            pcs->search_path = HeapReAlloc(GetProcessHeap(), 0, pcs->search_path, (size + 1 + len + 1) * sizeof(WCHAR));
-            pcs->search_path[size] = ';';
-            GetEnvironmentVariableW(alt_sym_path, pcs->search_path + size + 1, len);
-        }
+        pcs->search_path = make_default_search_path();
     }
 
     pcs->lmodules = NULL;