diff --git a/PC/getpathp.c b/PC/getpathp.c
index 729d2e4736b..e62b936f2d3 100644
--- a/PC/getpathp.c
+++ b/PC/getpathp.c
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ calculate_path(void)
 			   start of the path in question - even if this
 			   is one character before the start of the buffer
 			*/
-			while (*look != DELIM && look >= module_search_path)
+			while (look >= module_search_path && *look != DELIM)
 				look--;
 			nchars = lookEnd-look;
 			strncpy(lookBuf, look+1, nchars);