diff --git a/core_info.c b/core_info.c
index 02f8a43c56..0ecebc9914 100644
--- a/core_info.c
+++ b/core_info.c
@@ -277,12 +277,16 @@ static core_info_list_t *core_info_list_new(const char *path,
 #if defined(__WINRT__) || defined(WINAPI_FAMILY) && WINAPI_FAMILY == WINAPI_FAMILY_PHONE_APP
    {
       /* UWP: browse the optional packages for additional cores */
-      struct string_list *core_packages = string_list_new();
-      uwp_fill_installed_core_packages(core_packages);
-      for (i = 0; i < core_packages->size; i++)
-         dir_list_append(&contents, core_packages->elems[i].data, exts,
-               false, dir_show_hidden_files, false, false);
-      string_list_free(core_packages);
+      struct string_list core_packages = {0};
+      
+      if (string_list_initialize(&core_packages))
+      {
+         uwp_fill_installed_core_packages(&core_packages);
+         for (i = 0; i < core_packages.size; i++)
+            dir_list_append(&contents, core_packages.elems[i].data, exts,
+                  false, dir_show_hidden_files, false, false);
+         string_list_deinitialize(&core_packages);
+      }
    }
 #else
    /* Keep the old 'directory not found' behavior */