diff --git a/common/global.h b/common/global.h
index 09b59593b0..f95cf28a4d 100644
--- a/common/global.h
+++ b/common/global.h
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ struct mpv_global {
     struct mp_client_api *client_api;
     char *configdir;
     struct stats_base *stats;
-    bool no_cachedir;
-    bool no_statedir;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/options/path.c b/options/path.c
index e1aaa48907..c9a986fe81 100644
--- a/options/path.c
+++ b/options/path.c
@@ -84,16 +84,20 @@ static const char *mp_get_platform_path(void *talloc_ctx,
 
     // Return the native config path if the platform doesn't support the
     // type we are trying to fetch.
-    if (strcmp(type, "cache") == 0 && global->no_cachedir)
-        type = "home";
-    if (strcmp(type, "state") == 0 && global->no_statedir)
-        type = "home";
+    const char *fallback_type = NULL;
+    if (!strcmp(type, "cache") || !strcmp(type, "state"))
+        fallback_type = "home";
 
     for (int n = 0; n < MP_ARRAY_SIZE(path_resolvers); n++) {
         const char *path = path_resolvers[n](talloc_ctx, type);
         if (path && path[0])
             return path;
     }
+
+    if (fallback_type) {
+        assert(strcmp(fallback_type, type) != 0);
+        return mp_get_platform_path(talloc_ctx, global, fallback_type);
+    }
     return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -101,17 +105,6 @@ void mp_init_paths(struct mpv_global *global, struct MPOpts *opts)
 {
     TA_FREEP(&global->configdir);
 
-    // Check if the platform has unique directories that differ from
-    // the standard config directory.
-    void *tmp = talloc_new(NULL);
-    const char *cache = mp_get_platform_path(tmp, global, "cache");
-    const char *state = mp_get_platform_path(tmp, global, "state");
-    if (!cache)
-        global->no_cachedir = true;
-    if (!state)
-        global->no_statedir = true;
-    talloc_free(tmp);
-
     const char *force_configdir = getenv("MPV_HOME");
     if (opts->force_configdir && opts->force_configdir[0])
         force_configdir = opts->force_configdir;