diff --git a/WickedEngine/wiHelper.cpp b/WickedEngine/wiHelper.cpp
index 4e38a7add..e2f83daca 100644
--- a/WickedEngine/wiHelper.cpp
+++ b/WickedEngine/wiHelper.cpp
@@ -261,18 +261,36 @@ namespace wiHelper
 		return ss.str();
 	}
 
-	string GetFileNameFromPath(const std::string& path)
+	void SplitPath(const std::string& fullPath, string& dir, string& fileName)
 	{
-		std::filesystem::path filepath = path;
-		filepath = std::filesystem::absolute(filepath);
-		return filepath.filename().string();
+		size_t found;
+		found = fullPath.find_last_of("/\\");
+		dir = fullPath.substr(0, found + 1);
+		fileName = fullPath.substr(found + 1);
 	}
 
-	string GetDirectoryFromPath(const std::string& path)
+	string GetFileNameFromPath(const std::string& fullPath)
 	{
-		std::filesystem::path filepath = path;
-		filepath = std::filesystem::absolute(filepath);
-		return filepath.parent_path().string() + "/";
+		if (fullPath.empty())
+		{
+			return fullPath;
+		}
+
+		string ret, empty;
+		SplitPath(fullPath, empty, ret);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	string GetDirectoryFromPath(const std::string& fullPath)
+	{
+		if (fullPath.empty())
+		{
+			return fullPath;
+		}
+
+		string ret, empty;
+		SplitPath(fullPath, ret, empty);
+		return ret;
 	}
 
 	string GetExtensionFromFileName(const string& filename)
@@ -289,6 +307,20 @@ namespace wiHelper
 		return "";
 	}
 
+	void MakePathRelative(const std::string& rootdir, std::string& path)
+	{
+		if (rootdir.empty() || path.empty())
+		{
+			return;
+		}
+
+		size_t found = path.rfind(rootdir);
+		if (found != std::string::npos)
+		{
+			path = path.substr(found + rootdir.length());
+		}
+	}
+
 	bool FileRead(const std::string& fileName, std::vector<uint8_t>& data)
 	{
 #ifndef PLATFORM_UWP
diff --git a/WickedEngine/wiHelper.h b/WickedEngine/wiHelper.h
index 2af9efdb6..617474f94 100644
--- a/WickedEngine/wiHelper.h
+++ b/WickedEngine/wiHelper.h
@@ -45,12 +45,16 @@ namespace wiHelper
 
 	std::string getCurrentDateTimeAsString();
 
+	void SplitPath(const std::string& fullPath, std::string& dir, std::string& fileName);
+
 	std::string GetFileNameFromPath(const std::string& path);
 
 	std::string GetDirectoryFromPath(const std::string& path);
 
 	std::string GetExtensionFromFileName(const std::string& filename);
 
+	void MakePathRelative(const std::string& rootdir, std::string& path);
+
 	bool FileRead(const std::string& fileName, std::vector<uint8_t>& data);
 
 	bool FileWrite(const std::string& fileName, const uint8_t* data, size_t size);
diff --git a/WickedEngine/wiScene_Serializers.cpp b/WickedEngine/wiScene_Serializers.cpp
index 0b8e44b9e..40464cf35 100644
--- a/WickedEngine/wiScene_Serializers.cpp
+++ b/WickedEngine/wiScene_Serializers.cpp
@@ -246,11 +246,7 @@ namespace wiScene
 			{
 				for (auto& x : textures)
 				{
-					size_t found = x.name.rfind(dir);
-					if (found != std::string::npos)
-					{
-						x.name = x.name.substr(found + dir.length());
-					}
+					wiHelper::MakePathRelative(dir, x.name);
 				}
 			}
 
@@ -727,11 +723,7 @@ namespace wiScene
 			{
 				for (size_t i = 0; i < lensFlareNames.size(); ++i)
 				{
-					size_t found = lensFlareNames[i].rfind(dir);
-					if (found != std::string::npos)
-					{
-						lensFlareNames[i] = lensFlareNames[i].substr(found + dir.length());
-					}
+					wiHelper::MakePathRelative(dir, lensFlareNames[i]);
 				}
 			}
 			archive << lensFlareNames;
@@ -986,21 +978,8 @@ namespace wiScene
 			archive << oceanParameters.surfaceDetail;
 			archive << oceanParameters.surfaceDisplacementTolerance;
 
-			// If detecting an absolute path in textures, remove it and convert to relative:
-			if (!dir.empty())
-			{
-				size_t found = skyMapName.rfind(dir);
-				if (found != std::string::npos)
-				{
-					skyMapName = skyMapName.substr(found + dir.length());
-				}
-
-				found = colorGradingMapName.rfind(dir);
-				if (found != std::string::npos)
-				{
-					colorGradingMapName = colorGradingMapName.substr(found + dir.length());
-				}
-			}
+			wiHelper::MakePathRelative(dir, skyMapName);
+			wiHelper::MakePathRelative(dir, colorGradingMapName);
 
 			if (archive.GetVersion() >= 32)
 			{
@@ -1038,15 +1017,7 @@ namespace wiScene
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			// If detecting an absolute path in textures, remove it and convert to relative:
-			if(!dir.empty())
-			{
-				size_t found = filename.rfind(dir);
-				if (found != std::string::npos)
-				{
-					filename = filename.substr(found + dir.length());
-				}
-			}
+			wiHelper::MakePathRelative(dir, filename);
 
 			archive << _flags;
 			archive << filename;
diff --git a/WickedEngine/wiVersion.cpp b/WickedEngine/wiVersion.cpp
index da278b446..77ba66597 100644
--- a/WickedEngine/wiVersion.cpp
+++ b/WickedEngine/wiVersion.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ namespace wiVersion
 	// minor features, major updates, breaking compatibility changes
 	const int minor = 53;
 	// minor bug fixes, alterations, refactors, updates
-	const int revision = 14;
+	const int revision = 15;
 
 	const std::string version_string = std::to_string(major) + "." + std::to_string(minor) + "." + std::to_string(revision);