diff --git a/es-app/src/SystemData.cpp b/es-app/src/SystemData.cpp
index 8a05d5f1e..39b63825f 100644
--- a/es-app/src/SystemData.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/SystemData.cpp
@@ -161,6 +161,12 @@ void SystemData::launchGame(Window* window, FileData* game)
 
 void SystemData::populateFolder(FileData* folder)
 {
+	if (mDirectLaunch)
+	{
+		LOG(LogInfo) << "System " << mName << " is a direct launch item, not building game lists.";
+		return;
+	}
+
 	const fs::path& folderPath = folder->getPath();
 	if(!fs::is_directory(folderPath))
 	{
@@ -330,12 +336,15 @@ bool SystemData::loadConfig()
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		//convert path to generic directory seperators
-		boost::filesystem::path genericPath(path);
-		path = genericPath.generic_string();
+		if (!directLaunch)
+		{
+			//convert path to generic directory seperators
+			boost::filesystem::path genericPath(path);
+			path = genericPath.generic_string();
+		}
 
 		SystemData* newSys = new SystemData(name, fullname, path, extensions, cmd, platformIds, themeFolder, directLaunch);
-		if(newSys->getRootFolder()->getChildren().size() == 0)
+		if(newSys->getRootFolder()->getChildren().size() == 0 && !directLaunch)
 		{
 			LOG(LogWarning) << "System \"" << name << "\" has no games! Ignoring it.";
 			delete newSys;
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
index 5a94d97c2..9716cfd8b 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/views/ViewController.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,15 @@ void ViewController::goToNextGameList()
 	assert(mState.viewing == GAME_LIST);
 	SystemData* system = getState().getSystem();
 	assert(system);
-	goToGameList(system->getNext());
+	
+	// skip systems that don't have a game list, this will always end since it is called
+	// from a system with a game list and the iterator is cyclic
+	do
+	{
+		system = system->getNext();
+	} while ( system->getDirectLaunch() );
+	
+	goToGameList(system);
 }
 
 void ViewController::goToPrevGameList()
@@ -80,7 +88,15 @@ void ViewController::goToPrevGameList()
 	assert(mState.viewing == GAME_LIST);
 	SystemData* system = getState().getSystem();
 	assert(system);
-	goToGameList(system->getPrev());
+	
+	// skip systems that don't have a game list, this will always end since it is called
+	// from a system with a game list and the iterator is cyclic
+	do
+	{
+		system = system->getPrev();
+	} while ( system->getDirectLaunch() );
+	
+	goToGameList(system);
 }
 
 void ViewController::goToGameList(SystemData* system)
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/gamelist/BasicGameListView.cpp b/es-app/src/views/gamelist/BasicGameListView.cpp
index af4ccbfe4..e0facdd20 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/gamelist/BasicGameListView.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/views/gamelist/BasicGameListView.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ void BasicGameListView::onFileChanged(FileData* file, FileChangeType change)
 void BasicGameListView::populateList(const std::vector<FileData*>& files)
 {
 	mList.clear();
+	
+	// file list can be empty if direct launch item
+	if (files.size()==0)
+	{
+		return;
+	}
 
 	mHeaderText.setText(files.at(0)->getSystem()->getFullName());