diff --git a/src/sim/syscall_emul.cc b/src/sim/syscall_emul.cc
index 35f047d42a..acf5dcd86f 100644
--- a/src/sim/syscall_emul.cc
+++ b/src/sim/syscall_emul.cc
@@ -963,11 +963,17 @@ chdirFunc(SyscallDesc *desc, ThreadContext *tc, VPtr<> pathname)
 SyscallReturn
 rmdirFunc(SyscallDesc *desc, ThreadContext *tc, VPtr<> pathname)
 {
-    auto p = tc->getProcessPtr();
     std::string path;
     if (!SETranslatingPortProxy(tc).tryReadString(path, pathname))
         return -EFAULT;
 
+    return rmdirImpl(desc, tc, path);
+}
+
+SyscallReturn
+rmdirImpl(SyscallDesc *desc, ThreadContext *tc, std::string path)
+{
+    auto p = tc->getProcessPtr();
     path = p->checkPathRedirect(path);
 
     auto result = rmdir(path.c_str());
diff --git a/src/sim/syscall_emul.hh b/src/sim/syscall_emul.hh
index be30797dad..77cdf582c6 100644
--- a/src/sim/syscall_emul.hh
+++ b/src/sim/syscall_emul.hh
@@ -206,7 +206,10 @@ SyscallReturn mknodFunc(SyscallDesc *desc, ThreadContext *tc,
 SyscallReturn chdirFunc(SyscallDesc *desc, ThreadContext *tc, VPtr<> pathname);
 
 // Target rmdir() handler.
-SyscallReturn rmdirFunc(SyscallDesc *desc, ThreadContext *tc, VPtr<> pathname);
+SyscallReturn rmdirFunc(SyscallDesc *desc, ThreadContext *tc,
+                        VPtr<> pathname);
+SyscallReturn rmdirImpl(SyscallDesc *desc, ThreadContext *tc,
+                        std::string path);
 
 /// Target rename() handler.
 SyscallReturn renameFunc(SyscallDesc *desc, ThreadContext *tc,