diff --git a/libretro-common/file/retro_dirent.c b/libretro-common/file/retro_dirent.c
index e50973b5be..c21b2d669c 100644
--- a/libretro-common/file/retro_dirent.c
+++ b/libretro-common/file/retro_dirent.c
@@ -235,6 +235,16 @@ bool retro_dirent_is_dir(struct RDIR *rdir, const char *path)
 #endif
 }
 
+void retro_dirent_include_hidden(struct RDIR *rdir, bool include_hidden)
+{
+#ifdef _WIN32
+   if (include_hidden)
+      rdir->entry.dwFileAttributes |= FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN;
+   else
+      rdir->entry.dwFileAttributes &= ~FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN;
+#endif
+}
+
 void retro_closedir(struct RDIR *rdir)
 {
    if (!rdir)
diff --git a/libretro-common/include/retro_dirent.h b/libretro-common/include/retro_dirent.h
index d41a21211d..090076ec64 100644
--- a/libretro-common/include/retro_dirent.h
+++ b/libretro-common/include/retro_dirent.h
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ int retro_readdir(struct RDIR *rdir);
 
 bool retro_dirent_error(struct RDIR *rdir);
 
+void retro_dirent_include_hidden(struct RDIR *rdir, bool include_hidden);
+
 const char *retro_dirent_get_name(struct RDIR *rdir);
 
 /**
diff --git a/libretro-common/lists/dir_list.c b/libretro-common/lists/dir_list.c
index 2306eff68f..73148c83e3 100644
--- a/libretro-common/lists/dir_list.c
+++ b/libretro-common/lists/dir_list.c
@@ -174,21 +174,10 @@ static int dir_list_read(const char *dir,
 {
    struct RDIR *entry = retro_opendir(dir);
 
-   if (!entry)
-      return -1;
+   if (!entry || retro_dirent_error(entry))
+      goto error;
 
-   if (retro_dirent_error(entry))
-   {
-      retro_closedir(entry);
-      return -1;
-   }
-
-#ifdef _WIN32
-   if (include_hidden)
-      entry->entry.dwFileAttributes |= FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN;
-   else
-      entry->entry.dwFileAttributes &= ~FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN;
-#endif
+   retro_dirent_include_hidden(entry, include_hidden);
 
    while (retro_readdir(entry))
    {
@@ -222,10 +211,7 @@ static int dir_list_read(const char *dir,
             include_dirs, include_compressed, list, ext_list, file_ext);
 
       if (ret == -1)
-      {
-         retro_closedir(entry);
-         return -1;
-      }
+         goto error;
 
       if (ret == 1)
          continue;
@@ -234,6 +220,11 @@ static int dir_list_read(const char *dir,
    retro_closedir(entry);
 
    return 0;
+
+error:
+   if (entry)
+      retro_closedir(entry);
+   return -1;
 }
 
 /**