diff --git a/src/sfizz/Region.h b/src/sfizz/Region.h
index c8b55262..6c7a3653 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Region.h
+++ b/src/sfizz/Region.h
@@ -50,12 +50,9 @@ namespace sfz {
  *
  */
 struct Region {
-    Region(const MidiState& midiState, std::string defaultPath = "")
+    Region(const MidiState& midiState, absl::string_view defaultPath = "")
     : midiState(midiState), defaultPath(std::move(defaultPath))
     {
-        if (!this->defaultPath.empty() && this->defaultPath.back() != '/')
-            absl::StrAppend(&this->defaultPath, "/");
-
         ccSwitched.set();
     }
     Region(const Region&) = default;
@@ -325,7 +322,7 @@ private:
     bool aftertouchSwitched { true };
     std::bitset<config::numCCs> ccSwitched;
     bool triggerOnCC { false };
-    std::string defaultPath { "" };
+    absl::string_view defaultPath { "" };
 
     int activeNotesInRange { -1 };
     int sequenceCounter { 0 };
diff --git a/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp b/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
index 03365421..c809270e 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
+++ b/src/sfizz/Synth.cpp
@@ -181,14 +181,10 @@ void sfz::Synth::handleControlOpcodes(const std::vector<Opcode>& members)
             break;
         case hash("Default_path"):
             [[fallthrough]];
-        case hash("default_path"): {
-            auto newPath = absl::StrReplaceAll(trim(member.value), { { "\\", "/" } });
-            if (fs::exists(originalDirectory / newPath)) {
-                DBG("Changing default sample path to " << newPath);
-                defaultPath = std::move(newPath);
-            }
+        case hash("default_path"):
+            defaultPath = absl::StrReplaceAll(trim(member.value), { { "\\", "/" } });
+            DBG("Changing default sample path to " << defaultPath);
             break;
-        }
         default:
             // Unsupported control opcode
             DBG("Unsupported control opcode: " << member.opcode);
@@ -423,7 +419,7 @@ void sfz::Synth::noteOff(int delay, int channel, int noteNumber, uint8_t velocit
     // auto replacedVelocity = (velocity == 0 ? sfz::getNoteVelocity(noteNumber) : velocity);
     auto replacedVelocity = midiState.getNoteVelocity(channel, noteNumber);
     auto randValue = randNoteDistribution(Random::randomGenerator);
-    
+
     for (auto& voice : voices)
         voice->registerNoteOff(delay, channel, noteNumber, replacedVelocity);
 
@@ -452,7 +448,7 @@ void sfz::Synth::cc(int delay, int channel, int ccNumber, uint8_t ccValue) noexc
         return;
     }
 
-    midiState.ccEvent(channel, ccNumber, ccValue);    
+    midiState.ccEvent(channel, ccNumber, ccValue);
     for (auto& voice : voices)
         voice->registerCC(delay, channel, ccNumber, ccValue);
 
@@ -628,4 +624,4 @@ void sfz::Synth::resetAllControllers(int delay, int channel) noexcept
         for (int cc = 0; cc < config::numCCs; ++cc)
             region->registerCC(channel, cc, 0);
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/sfizz/Synth.h b/src/sfizz/Synth.h
index f65ac479..3fc5a3ed 100644
--- a/src/sfizz/Synth.h
+++ b/src/sfizz/Synth.h
@@ -361,10 +361,10 @@ protected:
 private:
     /**
      * @brief Reset all CCs; to be used on CC 121
-     * 
+     *
      * @param delay the delay for the controller reset
      * @param channel the channel on which to reset the controller
-     * 
+     *
      */
     void resetAllControllers(int delay, int channel) noexcept;
 
diff --git a/tests/FilesT.cpp b/tests/FilesT.cpp
index 1a0e3179..cd2bb267 100644
--- a/tests/FilesT.cpp
+++ b/tests/FilesT.cpp
@@ -330,18 +330,17 @@ TEST_CASE("[Files] Default path")
 {
     sfz::Synth synth;
     synth.loadSfzFile(fs::current_path() / "tests/TestFiles/default_path.sfz");
-    REQUIRE(synth.getNumRegions() == 4);
+    REQUIRE(synth.getNumRegions() == 3);
     REQUIRE(synth.getRegionView(0)->sample == R"(DefaultPath/SubPath1/sample1.wav)");
     REQUIRE(synth.getRegionView(1)->sample == R"(DefaultPath/SubPath2/sample2.wav)");
     REQUIRE(synth.getRegionView(2)->sample == R"(DefaultPath/SubPath1/sample1.wav)");
-    REQUIRE(synth.getRegionView(3)->sample == R"(DefaultPath/SubPath2/sample2.wav)");
 }
 
 TEST_CASE("[Files] Default path reset when calling loadSfzFile again")
 {
     sfz::Synth synth;
     synth.loadSfzFile(fs::current_path() / "tests/TestFiles/default_path.sfz");
-    REQUIRE(synth.getNumRegions() == 4);
+    REQUIRE(synth.getNumRegions() == 3);
     synth.loadSfzFile(fs::current_path() / "tests/TestFiles/default_path_reset.sfz");
     REQUIRE(synth.getNumRegions() == 1);
     REQUIRE(synth.getRegionView(0)->sample == R"(DefaultPath/SubPath2/sample2.wav)");
@@ -364,4 +363,4 @@ TEST_CASE("[Files] Set CC applies properly to all channels")
         REQUIRE(synth.getMidiState().getCCValue(channel, 142) == 63);
         REQUIRE(synth.getMidiState().getCCValue(channel, 61) == 122);
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/tests/TestFiles/default_path.sfz b/tests/TestFiles/default_path.sfz
index 87a400b7..d77c61ea 100644
--- a/tests/TestFiles/default_path.sfz
+++ b/tests/TestFiles/default_path.sfz
@@ -1,10 +1,7 @@
 <region> sample=DefaultPath/SubPath1/sample1.wav
 
-<control> default_path=DefaultPath\SubPath2
+<control> default_path=DefaultPath\SubPath2\
 <region> sample=sample2.wav
 
-<control> default_path=DefaultPath/SubPath1
-<region> sample=sample1.wav
-
-<control> default_path=DefaultPath/SubPath2/
-<region> sample=sample2.wav
\ No newline at end of file
+<control> default_path=DefaultPath/SubPath1/sample
+<region> sample=1.wav