diff --git a/dlls/shell32/shlexec.c b/dlls/shell32/shlexec.c
index 1a3091473ad..ce869caffe7 100644
--- a/dlls/shell32/shlexec.c
+++ b/dlls/shell32/shlexec.c
@@ -290,8 +290,9 @@ static UINT_PTR SHELL_ExecuteW(const WCHAR *lpCmd, WCHAR *env, BOOL shWait,
     startup.cb = sizeof(STARTUPINFOW);
     startup.dwFlags = STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW;
     startup.wShowWindow = psei->nShow;
-    if (CreateProcessW(NULL, (LPWSTR)lpCmd, NULL, NULL, FALSE, CREATE_UNICODE_ENVIRONMENT,
-                       env, *psei->lpDirectory? psei->lpDirectory: NULL, &startup, &info))
+    if (CreateProcessW(NULL, (LPWSTR)lpCmd, NULL, NULL, FALSE, CREATE_UNICODE_ENVIRONMENT, env,
+                       psei->lpDirectory && *psei->lpDirectory ? psei->lpDirectory : NULL,
+                       &startup, &info))
     {
         /* Give 30 seconds to the app to come up, if desired. Probably only needed
            when starting app immediately before making a DDE connection. */