diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index 321d98e42..4e0775f80 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -513,7 +513,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     spawn_init();
 
     /* Parse and run configuration file */
-    luaA_parserc(&xdg, confpath, true);
+    if (!luaA_parserc(&xdg, confpath, true))
+        fatal("couldn't find any rc file");
 
     xdgWipeHandle(&xdg);
 
diff --git a/luaa.c b/luaa.c
index 46dbee209..fb173c7b6 100644
--- a/luaa.c
+++ b/luaa.c
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@ luaA_parserc(xdgHandle* xdg, const char *confpatharg, bool run)
     char *tmp = confpath;
 
     /* confpath is "string1\0string2\0string3\0\0" */
-    do
+    while(*tmp)
     {
         if(luaA_loadrc(tmp, run))
         {
@@ -845,7 +845,7 @@ luaA_parserc(xdgHandle* xdg, const char *confpatharg, bool run)
         else if(!run)
             goto bailout;
         tmp += a_strlen(tmp) + 1;
-    } while(*tmp != 0);
+    }
 
 bailout: