diff --git a/scm/custom-rt.scm b/scm/custom-rt.scm
index ea94593..967f3c7 100644
--- a/scm/custom-rt.scm
+++ b/scm/custom-rt.scm
@@ -63,7 +63,10 @@
 (define custom-file-path
   (lambda (gsym)
     (let* ((group-name (symbol->string gsym))
-	   (path (string-append (get-config-path! #f)
+           (config-path (get-config-path #f))
+           (path (string-append (if config-path
+                                  config-path
+                                  "")
 				"/customs/custom-"
 				group-name
 				".scm")))
diff --git a/scm/dynlib.scm b/scm/dynlib.scm
index 991ed55..6b67a77 100644
--- a/scm/dynlib.scm
+++ b/scm/dynlib.scm
@@ -34,14 +34,15 @@
 (define uim-dynlib-load-path
   (if (setugid?)
       (list (string-append (sys-pkglibdir) "/plugin"))
-      (let ((home-dir (or (home-directory (user-name)) ""))
-	    (ld-library-path (getenv "LD_LIBRARY_PATH")))
+      (let* ((ld-library-path (getenv "LD_LIBRARY_PATH"))
+             (config-path (get-config-path #f))
+             (user-plugin-path (if config-path
+                                 (string-append config-path "/plugin")
+                                 '())))
 	(filter string?
 		(append (list (getenv "LIBUIM_PLUGIN_LIB_DIR")
-			      (if home-dir
-				  (string-append (get-config-path! #f) "/plugin")
-				  '())
-			      (string-append (sys-pkglibdir) "/plugin"))
+                              user-plugin-path
+                              (string-append (sys-pkglibdir) "/plugin"))
 			;; XXX
 			(if ld-library-path
 			    (string-split ld-library-path ":")
diff --git a/scm/plugin.scm b/scm/plugin.scm
index 2d5d74a..d187429 100644
--- a/scm/plugin.scm
+++ b/scm/plugin.scm
@@ -39,12 +39,12 @@
 (define uim-plugin-scm-load-path
   (if (setugid?)
       (list (sys-pkgdatadir))
-      (let ((home-dir (or (home-directory (user-name)) ""))
+      (let ((config-path (get-config-path #f))
             (scm-paths (string-split (load-path) ":")))
 	(filter string?
 		(append scm-paths
-		      (if home-dir
-			  (list (string-append (get-config-path! #f) "/plugin"))
+		      (if config-path
+			  (list (string-append config-path "/plugin"))
 			  '())
 		      (list (sys-pkgdatadir)))))))
 
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@
 ;; TODO: write test
 (define load-module-conf
   (lambda ()
-    (let* ((home-dir (or (home-directory (user-name)) ""))
-	   (user-module-dir (if home-dir
-				(string-append (get-config-path! #f) "/plugin/")
+    (let* ((config-path (get-config-path #f))
+	   (user-module-dir (if config-path
+				(string-append config-path "/plugin/")
 				#f))
 	   (conf-file "installed-modules.scm")
 	   (user-conf-file (if user-module-dir
@@ -100,9 +100,9 @@
 ;; TODO: write test
 (define load-enabled-modules
   (lambda ()
-    (let* ((home-dir (or (home-directory (user-name)) ""))
-	   (user-module-dir (if home-dir
-				(string-append (get-config-path! #f) "/plugin/")
+    (let* ((config-path (get-config-path #f))
+	   (user-module-dir (if config-path
+				(string-append config-path "/plugin/")
 				#f))
 	   (file "loader.scm")
 	   (user-file (if user-module-dir
diff --git a/uim/uim-helper.c b/uim/uim-helper.c
index e4a558f..882aea6 100644
--- a/uim/uim-helper.c
+++ b/uim/uim-helper.c
@@ -207,7 +207,11 @@ uim_helper_get_pathname(char *helper_path, int len)
   return UIM_TRUE;
 
  path_error:
-  uim_fatal_error("uim_helper_get_pathname()");
+#if USE_UIM_NOTIFY && !UIM_NON_LIBUIM_PROG
+  uim_notify_fatal("uim_helper_get_pathname() failed");
+#else
+  fprintf(stderr, "uim_helper_get_pathname() failed\n");
+#endif
   helper_path[0] = '\0';
 
   UIM_CATCH_ERROR_END();
diff --git a/uim/uim-posix.c b/uim/uim-posix.c
index 83691d8..de8a327 100644
--- a/uim/uim-posix.c
+++ b/uim/uim-posix.c
@@ -141,21 +141,33 @@ home_directory(uim_lisp user_)
   return MAKE_STR(home);
 }
 
-uim_bool
-uim_check_dir(const char *dir)
+static uim_bool
+uim_check_dir_internal(const char *dir, int need_prepare)
 {
   struct stat st;
 
   if (stat(dir, &st) < 0)
-    return (mkdir(dir, 0700) < 0) ? UIM_FALSE : UIM_TRUE;
+    if (need_prepare)	  
+      return (mkdir(dir, 0700) < 0) ? UIM_FALSE : UIM_TRUE;
+    else
+      return UIM_FALSE;
   else {
     mode_t mode = S_IFDIR | S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR | S_IXUSR;
     return ((st.st_mode & mode) == mode) ? UIM_TRUE : UIM_FALSE;
   }
 }
 
+/* FIXME: use appropriate name for this API */
+uim_bool
+uim_check_dir(const char *dir)
+{
+  int need_prepare = UIM_TRUE;
+
+  return uim_check_dir_internal(dir, need_prepare);
+}
+
 static uim_lisp
-c_check_dir(uim_lisp dir_)
+c_prepare_dir(uim_lisp dir_)
 {
   if (!uim_check_dir(REFER_C_STR(dir_))) {
     return uim_scm_f();
@@ -163,8 +175,8 @@ c_check_dir(uim_lisp dir_)
   return uim_scm_t();
 }
 
-uim_bool
-uim_get_config_path(char *path, int len, int is_getenv)
+static uim_bool
+uim_get_config_path_internal(char *path, int len, int is_getenv, int need_prepare)
 {
   char home[MAXPATHLEN];
 
@@ -174,34 +186,63 @@ uim_get_config_path(char *path, int len, int is_getenv)
   if (!uim_get_home_directory(home, sizeof(home), getuid()) && is_getenv) {
     char *home_env = getenv("HOME");
 
-    if (!home_env)
+    if (!home_env) {
+      path[0] = '\0';
       return UIM_FALSE;
+    }
 
-    if (strlcpy(home, home_env, sizeof(home)) >= sizeof(home))
+    if (strlcpy(home, home_env, sizeof(home)) >= sizeof(home)) {
+      path[0] = '\0';
       return UIM_FALSE;
+    }
   }
 
-  if (snprintf(path, len, "%s/.uim.d", home) == -1)
+  if (snprintf(path, len, "%s/.uim.d", home) < 0) {
+    path[0] = '\0';
     return UIM_FALSE;
+  }
 
-  if (!uim_check_dir(path)) {
+  if (!uim_check_dir_internal(path, need_prepare)) {
     return UIM_FALSE;
   }
 
   return UIM_TRUE;
 }
 
+/* FIXME: use appropriate name for this API */
+uim_bool
+uim_get_config_path(char *path, int len, int is_getenv)
+{
+  int need_prepare = UIM_TRUE;
+
+  return uim_get_config_path_internal(path, len, is_getenv, need_prepare);
+}
+
 static uim_lisp
-c_get_config_path(uim_lisp is_getenv_)
+c_prepare_config_path(uim_lisp is_getenv_)
 {
   char path[MAXPATHLEN];
+  int need_prepare = UIM_TRUE;
 
-  if (!uim_get_config_path(path, sizeof(path), C_BOOL(is_getenv_)))
+  if (!uim_get_config_path_internal(path, sizeof(path), C_BOOL(is_getenv_), need_prepare))
     return uim_scm_f();
   return MAKE_STR(path);
 }
 
 static uim_lisp
+c_get_config_path(uim_lisp is_getenv_)
+{
+  char path[MAXPATHLEN];
+  int need_prepare = UIM_FALSE;
+  int exist;
+
+  /* No need to check the existence of path in this function */
+  exist = uim_get_config_path_internal(path, sizeof(path), C_BOOL(is_getenv_), need_prepare);
+
+  return MAKE_STR(path);
+}
+
+static uim_lisp
 file_stat_mode(uim_lisp filename, mode_t mode)
 {
   struct stat st;
@@ -391,8 +432,9 @@ uim_init_posix_subrs(void)
   uim_scm_init_proc0("user-name", user_name);
   uim_scm_init_proc1("home-directory", home_directory);
 
-  uim_scm_init_proc1("create/check-directory!", c_check_dir);
-  uim_scm_init_proc1("get-config-path!", c_get_config_path);
+  uim_scm_init_proc1("create/check-directory!", c_prepare_dir);
+  uim_scm_init_proc1("get-config-path!", c_prepare_config_path);
+  uim_scm_init_proc1("get-config-path", c_get_config_path);
 
   uim_scm_init_proc1("file-readable?", file_readablep);
   uim_scm_init_proc1("file-writable?", file_writablep);