diff --git a/core/autoload/format.el b/core/autoload/format.el
index 534950bd6..7de5af711 100644
--- a/core/autoload/format.el
+++ b/core/autoload/format.el
@@ -50,15 +50,24 @@ and `format!' into colored output, where COLOR is any car of this list.")
                  (concat "- " (if args (apply #'format str args) str))))
     (start    . (lambda (str &rest args)
                   (concat "> " (if args (apply #'format str args) str))))
-    (debug   . (lambda (str &rest args) (if doom-debug-mode (apply #'format str args) "")))
+    (debug   . (lambda (str &rest args)
+                 (if doom-debug-mode
+                     (if args
+                         (apply #'format str args)
+                       (format "%s" str))
+                   "")))
     (path    . abbreviate-file-name)
     (symbol . symbol-name)
     (relpath . (lambda (str &optional dir)
-                 (let ((dir (or dir (file-truename default-directory)))
-                       (str (file-truename str)))
-                   (if (file-in-directory-p str dir)
-                       (file-relative-name str dir)
-                     (abbreviate-file-name str)))))
+                 (if (or (not str)
+                         (not (stringp str))
+                         (string-empty-p str))
+                     str
+                   (let ((dir (or dir (file-truename default-directory)))
+                         (str (file-truename str)))
+                     (if (file-in-directory-p str dir)
+                         (file-relative-name str dir)
+                       (abbreviate-file-name str))))))
     (filename . file-name-nondirectory)
     (dirname . (lambda (path)
                  (unless (file-directory-p path)