diff --git a/EDMC.py b/EDMC.py
index b684a8ae..849c9a98 100755
--- a/EDMC.py
+++ b/EDMC.py
@@ -190,6 +190,9 @@ sys.path: {sys.path}'''
             logger.debug('Getting state from latest journal file')
             try:
                 logdir = config.get_str('journaldir', default=str(config.default_journal_dir))
+                if not logdir:
+                    logdir = str(config.default_journal_dir)
+
                 logger.debug(f'logdir = "{logdir}"')
                 logfiles = sorted((x for x in os.listdir(logdir) if JOURNAL_RE.search(x)),
                                   key=lambda x: x.split('.')[1:])
diff --git a/dashboard.py b/dashboard.py
index 372cdf01..d0ef8575 100644
--- a/dashboard.py
+++ b/dashboard.py
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ class Dashboard(FileSystemEventHandler):
         self.session_start = started
 
         logdir = config.get_str('journaldir', default=str(config.default_journal_dir))
+        if logdir == '':
+            logdir = str(config.default_journal_dir)
+        
         if not logdir or not isdir(logdir):
             logger.info(f"No logdir, or it isn't a directory: {logdir=}")
             self.stop()