diff --git a/design.txt b/design.txt
index 4d2d29af..418448b5 100644
--- a/design.txt
+++ b/design.txt
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ On-disk files: (lib/file.cpp)
 		FILE_TYPE_CONFIG,
 		FILE_TYPE_DATA,
 		FILE_TYPE_LEGACY,
+		FILE_TYPE_INVALID,
 	}
 
 - Open mode:
@@ -173,6 +174,9 @@ On-disk files: (lib/file.cpp)
 			$HOME/.ocarina/
 			$HOME/.ocarina-debug/
 
+		If filepath is an empty string, set the file hint to
+		FILE_TYPE_INVALID and do not set the filepath field.
+
 	File : ~File()
 		Close the file stream if it is open.
 
@@ -199,6 +203,7 @@ On-disk files: (lib/file.cpp)
 			- Write version information to the start of the file
 			- Return true
 
+		Return false if hint == FILE_TYPE_INVALID.
 		Return false if the file is already open.
 		Return false if there are any other errors.
 
diff --git a/design/file.txt b/design/file.txt
index ceb5b93e..233e4b02 100644
--- a/design/file.txt
+++ b/design/file.txt
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ On-disk files: (lib/file.cpp)
 		FILE_TYPE_CONFIG,
 		FILE_TYPE_DATA,
 		FILE_TYPE_LEGACY,
+		FILE_TYPE_INVALID,
 	}
 
 - Open mode:
@@ -77,6 +78,9 @@ On-disk files: (lib/file.cpp)
 			$HOME/.ocarina/
 			$HOME/.ocarina-debug/
 
+		If filepath is an empty string, set the file hint to
+		FILE_TYPE_INVALID and do not set the filepath field.
+
 	File : ~File()
 		Close the file stream if it is open.
 
@@ -103,6 +107,7 @@ On-disk files: (lib/file.cpp)
 			- Write version information to the start of the file
 			- Return true
 
+		Return false if hint == FILE_TYPE_INVALID.
 		Return false if the file is already open.
 		Return false if there are any other errors.
 
diff --git a/include/file.h b/include/file.h
index 1e02476c..64cf9542 100644
--- a/include/file.h
+++ b/include/file.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ enum FileLocHint {
 	FILE_TYPE_CONFIG,
 	FILE_TYPE_DATA,
 	FILE_TYPE_LEGACY,
+	FILE_TYPE_INVALID,
 };
 
 enum OpenMode {
diff --git a/lib/file.cpp b/lib/file.cpp
index 29a94d60..d84e0054 100644
--- a/lib/file.cpp
+++ b/lib/file.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@
 
 void File :: find_dir(std::string &res)
 {
+	if (hint == FILE_TYPE_INVALID)
+		return;
+
 	switch (hint) {
 	case FILE_TYPE_CONFIG:
 		res = g_get_user_config_dir();
@@ -23,8 +26,9 @@ void File :: find_dir(std::string &res)
 	case FILE_TYPE_DATA:
 		res = g_get_user_data_dir();
 		break;
-	case FILE_TYPE_LEGACY:
+	default: /* FILE_TYPE_LEGACY */
 		res = g_get_home_dir();
+		break;
 	}
 
 	res += "/";
@@ -33,7 +37,7 @@ void File :: find_dir(std::string &res)
 	case FILE_TYPE_DATA:
 		res += OCARINA_DIR;
 		break;
-	case FILE_TYPE_LEGACY:
+	default: /* FILE_TYPE_LEGACY */
 		res += ".";
 		res += OCARINA_DIR;
 	}
@@ -44,6 +48,12 @@ File :: File(std::string path, FileLocHint file_hint)
 {
 	std::string dir;
 
+	if (path == "") {
+		hint = FILE_TYPE_INVALID;
+		filepath = "INVALID";
+		return;
+	}
+
 	find_dir(dir);
 	filepath = dir + "/" + path;
 }
diff --git a/tests/file/compile.cpp b/tests/file/compile.cpp
index 6e110eae..921d4a73 100644
--- a/tests/file/compile.cpp
+++ b/tests/file/compile.cpp
@@ -5,16 +5,17 @@
 #include <file.h>
 #include <print.h>
 
-void test_filepath(FileLocHint hint)
+void test_filepath(std::string file, FileLocHint hint)
 {
-	File file("test.file", hint);
-	print("File path is: %s\n", file.get_filepath());
+	File f(file, hint);
+	print("File path is: %s\n", f.get_filepath());
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	test_filepath(FILE_TYPE_CONFIG);
-	test_filepath(FILE_TYPE_DATA);
-	test_filepath(FILE_TYPE_LEGACY);
+	test_filepath("test.file", FILE_TYPE_CONFIG);
+	test_filepath("test.file", FILE_TYPE_DATA);
+	test_filepath("test.file", FILE_TYPE_LEGACY);
+	test_filepath("", FILE_TYPE_DATA);
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tests/file/compile.good b/tests/file/compile.good
index c8893370..70993883 100644
--- a/tests/file/compile.good
+++ b/tests/file/compile.good
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 File path is: /home/anna/.config/ocarina-test/test.file
 File path is: /home/anna/.local/share/ocarina-test/test.file
 File path is: /home/anna/.ocarina-test/test.file
+File path is: INVALID
diff --git a/tests/file/open.cpp b/tests/file/open.cpp
index 7426e0f6..d70228bc 100644
--- a/tests/file/open.cpp
+++ b/tests/file/open.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,16 @@ int test_5()
 	return test_result("5", file.close(), true);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Attempt to open an invalid file
+ */
+int test_6()
+{
+	File file("", FILE_TYPE_DATA);
+	print("\n");
+	return test_result("6", file.open(OPEN_READ), false);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	int failed = 0;
@@ -102,6 +112,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	failed += test_3();
 	failed += test_4();
 	failed += test_5();
+	failed += test_6();
 
 	return failed;
 }
diff --git a/tests/file/open.good b/tests/file/open.good
index 664bd6db..dfbe73c8 100644
--- a/tests/file/open.good
+++ b/tests/file/open.good
@@ -17,3 +17,6 @@ Test 4b: Passed
 Test 4c: Passed
 
 Test 5: Passed
+
+ERROR: File does not exist (INVALID)
+Test 6: Passed