diff --git a/src/system/runtime_loader/runtime_loader.cpp b/src/system/runtime_loader/runtime_loader.cpp
index 8c57f298ea..f253c64266 100644
--- a/src/system/runtime_loader/runtime_loader.cpp
+++ b/src/system/runtime_loader/runtime_loader.cpp
@@ -217,7 +217,6 @@ int
 open_executable(char *name, image_type type, const char *rpath,
 	const char *programPath, const char *compatibilitySubDir)
 {
-	const char *paths;
 	char buffer[PATH_MAX];
 	int fd = B_ENTRY_NOT_FOUND;
 
@@ -236,31 +235,17 @@ open_executable(char *name, image_type type, const char *rpath,
 		// them up in the usual search paths - at
 		// least that seems to be what BeOS does, and since it doesn't hurt...
 		if (type == B_LIBRARY_IMAGE) {
-			// For library (but not add-on),  strip any path from name
-			// Relative path of add-on is kept
-			paths = strrchr(name, '/') + 1;
+			// For library (but not add-on), strip any path from name.
+			// Relative path of add-on is kept.
+			const char* paths = strrchr(name, '/') + 1;
 			memmove(name, paths, strlen(paths) + 1);
 		}
 	}
 
-	// let's evaluate the system path variables to find the container
-	paths = search_path_for_type(type);
-	if (paths) {
-		fd = search_executable_in_path_list(name, paths, strlen(paths),
-			programPath, compatibilitySubDir, buffer, sizeof(buffer));
-
-		// If not found and a compatibility sub directory has been
-		// specified, look again in the standard search paths.
-		if (fd == B_ENTRY_NOT_FOUND && compatibilitySubDir != NULL) {
-			fd = search_executable_in_path_list(name, paths, strlen(paths),
-				programPath, NULL, buffer, sizeof(buffer));
-		}
-	}
-
-	// try rpath (DT_RPATH), if not found yet
-	if (fd < 0 && rpath != NULL) {
-		// It consists of a colon-separated search path list. Optionally it
-		// follows a second search path list, separated from the first by a
+	// try rpath (DT_RPATH)
+	if (rpath != NULL) {
+		// It consists of a colon-separated search path list. Optionally a
+		// second search path list follows, separated from the first by a
 		// semicolon.
 		const char *semicolon = strchr(rpath, ';');
 		const char *firstList = (semicolon ? rpath : NULL);
@@ -277,6 +262,22 @@ open_executable(char *name, image_type type, const char *rpath,
 		}
 	}
 
+	// If not found yet, let's evaluate the system path variables to find the
+	// shared object.
+	if (fd < 0) {
+		if (const char *paths = search_path_for_type(type)) {
+			fd = search_executable_in_path_list(name, paths, strlen(paths),
+				programPath, compatibilitySubDir, buffer, sizeof(buffer));
+
+			// If not found and a compatibility sub directory has been
+			// specified, look again in the standard search paths.
+			if (fd == B_ENTRY_NOT_FOUND && compatibilitySubDir != NULL) {
+				fd = search_executable_in_path_list(name, paths, strlen(paths),
+					programPath, NULL, buffer, sizeof(buffer));
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (fd >= 0) {
 		// we found it, copy path!
 		TRACE(("runtime_loader: open_executable(%s): found at %s\n", name, buffer));