diff --git a/src/util/virhostdev.c b/src/util/virhostdev.c
index 78e409732a..9b4ea30216 100644
--- a/src/util/virhostdev.c
+++ b/src/util/virhostdev.c
@@ -182,8 +182,7 @@ virHostdevManagerNew(void)
         g_autofree char *rundir = NULL;
         mode_t old_umask;
 
-        if (!(rundir = virGetUserRuntimeDirectory()))
-            return NULL;
+        rundir = virGetUserRuntimeDirectory();
 
         hostdevMgr->stateDir = g_strdup_printf("%s/hostdevmgr", rundir);
 
diff --git a/src/util/virpidfile.c b/src/util/virpidfile.c
index 249515aff2..b08e0d8d52 100644
--- a/src/util/virpidfile.c
+++ b/src/util/virpidfile.c
@@ -488,8 +488,7 @@ virPidFileConstructPath(bool privileged,
         }
         *pidfile = g_strdup_printf("%s/%s.pid", runstatedir, progname);
     } else {
-        if (!(rundir = virGetUserRuntimeDirectory()))
-            return -1;
+        rundir = virGetUserRuntimeDirectory();
 
         if (virFileMakePathWithMode(rundir, 0700) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,