diff --git a/Common/File/VFS/DirectoryReader.cpp b/Common/File/VFS/DirectoryReader.cpp
index 60e2940390..b820a45196 100644
--- a/Common/File/VFS/DirectoryReader.cpp
+++ b/Common/File/VFS/DirectoryReader.cpp
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ DirectoryReader::DirectoryReader(const Path &path) {
 	path_ = path;
 }
 
-uint8_t *DirectoryReader::ReadFile(const char *path, size_t *size) {
+uint8_t *DirectoryReader::ReadFile(std::string_view path, size_t *size) {
 	Path new_path = Path(path).StartsWith(path_) ? Path(path) : path_ / path;
 	return File::ReadLocalFile(new_path, size);
 }
 
-bool DirectoryReader::GetFileListing(const char *path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter = nullptr) {
+bool DirectoryReader::GetFileListing(std::string_view path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter = nullptr) {
 	Path new_path = Path(path).StartsWith(path_) ? Path(path) : path_ / path;
 
 	File::FileInfo info;
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ bool DirectoryReader::GetFileListing(const char *path, std::vector<File::FileInf
 	return false;
 }
 
-bool DirectoryReader::GetFileInfo(const char *path, File::FileInfo *info) {
+bool DirectoryReader::GetFileInfo(std::string_view path, File::FileInfo *info) {
 	Path new_path = Path(path).StartsWith(path_) ? Path(path) : path_ / path;
 	return File::GetFileInfo(new_path, info);
 }
 
-bool DirectoryReader::Exists(const char *path) {
+bool DirectoryReader::Exists(std::string_view path) {
 	Path new_path = Path(path).StartsWith(path_) ? Path(path) : path_ / path;
 	return File::Exists(new_path);
 }
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ public:
 	FILE *file = nullptr;
 };
 
-VFSFileReference *DirectoryReader::GetFile(const char *path) {
+VFSFileReference *DirectoryReader::GetFile(std::string_view path) {
 	Path filePath = path_ / path;
 	if (!File::Exists(filePath)) {
 		return nullptr;
diff --git a/Common/File/VFS/DirectoryReader.h b/Common/File/VFS/DirectoryReader.h
index 1f438d028b..6bb078ae4a 100644
--- a/Common/File/VFS/DirectoryReader.h
+++ b/Common/File/VFS/DirectoryReader.h
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ class DirectoryReader : public VFSBackend {
 public:
 	explicit DirectoryReader(const Path &path);
 	// use delete[] on the returned value.
-	uint8_t *ReadFile(const char *path, size_t *size) override;
+	uint8_t *ReadFile(std::string_view path, size_t *size) override;
 
-	VFSFileReference *GetFile(const char *path) override;
+	VFSFileReference *GetFile(std::string_view path) override;
 	bool GetFileInfo(VFSFileReference *vfsReference, File::FileInfo *fileInfo) override;
 	void ReleaseFile(VFSFileReference *vfsReference) override;
 
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ public:
 	size_t Read(VFSOpenFile *vfsOpenFile, void *buffer, size_t length) override;
 	void CloseFile(VFSOpenFile *vfsOpenFile) override;
 
-	bool GetFileListing(const char *path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter) override;
-	bool GetFileInfo(const char *path, File::FileInfo *info) override;
-	bool Exists(const char *path) override;
+	bool GetFileListing(std::string_view path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter) override;
+	bool GetFileInfo(std::string_view path, File::FileInfo *info) override;
+	bool Exists(std::string_view path) override;
 	std::string toString() const override {
 		return path_.ToString();
 	}
diff --git a/Common/File/VFS/VFS.cpp b/Common/File/VFS/VFS.cpp
index 616b9c26c3..c35079286a 100644
--- a/Common/File/VFS/VFS.cpp
+++ b/Common/File/VFS/VFS.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <cstring>
 
+#include "Common/Common.h"
 #include "Common/Log.h"
 #include "Common/File/VFS/VFS.h"
 #include "Common/File/FileUtil.h"
@@ -8,12 +9,12 @@
 
 VFS g_VFS;
 
-void VFS::Register(const char *prefix, VFSBackend *reader) {
+void VFS::Register(std::string_view prefix, VFSBackend *reader) {
 	if (reader) {
 		entries_.push_back(VFSEntry{ prefix, reader });
-		DEBUG_LOG(Log::IO, "Registered VFS for prefix %s: %s", prefix, reader->toString().c_str());
+		DEBUG_LOG(Log::IO, "Registered VFS for prefix %.*s: %s", STR_VIEW(prefix), reader->toString().c_str());
 	} else {
-		ERROR_LOG(Log::IO, "Trying to register null VFS backend for prefix %s", prefix);
+		ERROR_LOG(Log::IO, "Trying to register null VFS backend for prefix %.*s", STR_VIEW(prefix));
 	}
 }
 
@@ -37,22 +38,22 @@ static bool IsLocalAbsolutePath(std::string_view path) {
 }
 
 // The returned data should be free'd with delete[].
-uint8_t *VFS::ReadFile(const char *filename, size_t *size) {
+uint8_t *VFS::ReadFile(std::string_view filename, size_t *size) {
 	if (IsLocalAbsolutePath(filename)) {
 		// Local path, not VFS.
 		// INFO_LOG(Log::IO, "Not a VFS path: %s . Reading local file.", filename);
 		return File::ReadLocalFile(Path(filename), size);
 	}
 
-	int fn_len = (int)strlen(filename);
+	const int fn_len = (int)filename.length();
 	bool fileSystemFound = false;
 	for (const auto &entry : entries_) {
-		int prefix_len = (int)strlen(entry.prefix);
+		int prefix_len = (int)entry.prefix.length();
 		if (prefix_len >= fn_len) continue;
-		if (0 == memcmp(filename, entry.prefix, prefix_len)) {
+		if (0 == memcmp(filename.data(), entry.prefix.data(), prefix_len)) {
 			fileSystemFound = true;
 			// INFO_LOG(Log::IO, "Prefix match: %s (%s) -> %s", entries[i].prefix, filename, filename + prefix_len);
-			uint8_t *data = entry.reader->ReadFile(filename + prefix_len, size);
+			uint8_t *data = entry.reader->ReadFile(filename.substr(prefix_len), size);
 			if (data)
 				return data;
 			else
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ uint8_t *VFS::ReadFile(const char *filename, size_t *size) {
 	return nullptr;
 }
 
-bool VFS::GetFileListing(const char *path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter) {
+bool VFS::GetFileListing(std::string_view path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter) {
 	if (IsLocalAbsolutePath(path)) {
 		// Local path, not VFS.
 		// INFO_LOG(Log::IO, "Not a VFS path: %s . Reading local directory.", path);
@@ -74,14 +75,14 @@ bool VFS::GetFileListing(const char *path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing,
 		return true;
 	}
 
-	int fn_len = (int)strlen(path);
+	int fn_len = (int)path.length();
 	bool fileSystemFound = false;
 	for (const auto &entry : entries_) {
-		int prefix_len = (int)strlen(entry.prefix);
+		int prefix_len = (int)entry.prefix.length();
 		if (prefix_len >= fn_len) continue;
-		if (0 == memcmp(path, entry.prefix, prefix_len)) {
+		if (0 == memcmp(path.data(), entry.prefix.data(), prefix_len)) {
 			fileSystemFound = true;
-			if (entry.reader->GetFileListing(path + prefix_len, listing, filter)) {
+			if (entry.reader->GetFileListing(path.substr(prefix_len), listing, filter)) {
 				return true;
 			}
 		}
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ bool VFS::GetFileListing(const char *path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing,
 	return false;
 }
 
-bool VFS::GetFileInfo(const char *path, File::FileInfo *info) {
+bool VFS::GetFileInfo(std::string_view path, File::FileInfo *info) {
 	if (IsLocalAbsolutePath(path)) {
 		// Local path, not VFS.
 		// INFO_LOG(Log::IO, "Not a VFS path: %s . Getting local file info.", path);
@@ -101,13 +102,13 @@ bool VFS::GetFileInfo(const char *path, File::FileInfo *info) {
 	}
 
 	bool fileSystemFound = false;
-	int fn_len = (int)strlen(path);
+	int fn_len = (int)path.length();
 	for (const auto &entry : entries_) {
-		int prefix_len = (int)strlen(entry.prefix);
+		int prefix_len = (int)entry.prefix.length();
 		if (prefix_len >= fn_len) continue;
-		if (0 == memcmp(path, entry.prefix, prefix_len)) {
+		if (0 == memcmp(path.data(), entry.prefix.data(), prefix_len)) {
 			fileSystemFound = true;
-			if (entry.reader->GetFileInfo(path + prefix_len, info))
+			if (entry.reader->GetFileInfo(path.substr(prefix_len), info))
 				return true;
 			else
 				continue;
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ bool VFS::GetFileInfo(const char *path, File::FileInfo *info) {
 	return false;
 }
 
-bool VFS::Exists(const char *path) {
+bool VFS::Exists(std::string_view path) {
 	if (IsLocalAbsolutePath(path)) {
 		// Local path, not VFS.
 		// INFO_LOG(Log::IO, "Not a VFS path: %s . Getting local file info.", path);
@@ -127,13 +128,13 @@ bool VFS::Exists(const char *path) {
 	}
 
 	bool fileSystemFound = false;
-	int fn_len = (int)strlen(path);
+	int fn_len = (int)path.length();
 	for (const auto &entry : entries_) {
-		int prefix_len = (int)strlen(entry.prefix);
+		int prefix_len = (int)entry.prefix.length();
 		if (prefix_len >= fn_len) continue;
-		if (0 == memcmp(path, entry.prefix, prefix_len)) {
+		if (0 == memcmp(path.data(), entry.prefix.data(), prefix_len)) {
 			fileSystemFound = true;
-			if (entry.reader->Exists(path + prefix_len))
+			if (entry.reader->Exists(path.substr(prefix_len)))
 				return true;
 			else
 				continue;
diff --git a/Common/File/VFS/VFS.h b/Common/File/VFS/VFS.h
index 24a738d3e6..c339328356 100644
--- a/Common/File/VFS/VFS.h
+++ b/Common/File/VFS/VFS.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include <vector>
 #include <cstdint>
+#include <string_view>
 
 #include "Common/File/DirListing.h"
 
@@ -36,14 +37,14 @@ public:
 class VFSInterface {
 public:
 	virtual ~VFSInterface() {}
-	virtual uint8_t *ReadFile(const char *path, size_t *size) = 0;
+	virtual uint8_t *ReadFile(std::string_view path, size_t *size) = 0;
 	// If listing already contains files, it'll be cleared.
-	virtual bool GetFileListing(const char *path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter = nullptr) = 0;
+	virtual bool GetFileListing(std::string_view path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter = nullptr) = 0;
 };
 
 class VFSBackend : public VFSInterface {
 public:
-	virtual VFSFileReference *GetFile(const char *path) = 0;
+	virtual VFSFileReference *GetFile(std::string_view path) = 0;
 	virtual bool GetFileInfo(VFSFileReference *vfsReference, File::FileInfo *fileInfo) = 0;
 	virtual void ReleaseFile(VFSFileReference *vfsReference) = 0;
 
@@ -55,8 +56,8 @@ public:
 	virtual void CloseFile(VFSOpenFile *vfsOpenFile) = 0;
 
 	// Filter support is optional but nice to have
-	virtual bool GetFileInfo(const char *path, File::FileInfo *info) = 0;
-	virtual bool Exists(const char *path) {
+	virtual bool GetFileInfo(std::string_view path, File::FileInfo *info) = 0;
+	virtual bool Exists(std::string_view path) {
 		File::FileInfo info{};
 		return GetFileInfo(path, &info) && info.exists;
 	}
@@ -67,21 +68,21 @@ public:
 class VFS : public VFSInterface {
 public:
 	~VFS() { Clear(); }
-	void Register(const char *prefix, VFSBackend *reader);
+	void Register(std::string_view prefix, VFSBackend *reader);
 	void Clear();
 
 	// Use delete [] to release the returned memory.
 	// Always allocates an extra zero byte at the end, so that it
 	// can be used for text like shader sources.
-	uint8_t *ReadFile(const char *filename, size_t *size) override;
-	bool GetFileListing(const char *path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter = nullptr) override;
+	uint8_t *ReadFile(std::string_view filename, size_t *size) override;
+	bool GetFileListing(std::string_view path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter = nullptr) override;
 
-	bool GetFileInfo(const char *filename, File::FileInfo *fileInfo);
-	bool Exists(const char *path);
+	bool GetFileInfo(std::string_view filename, File::FileInfo *fileInfo);
+	bool Exists(std::string_view path);
 
 private:
 	struct VFSEntry {
-		const char *prefix;
+		std::string_view prefix;
 		VFSBackend *reader;
 	};
 	std::vector<VFSEntry> entries_;
diff --git a/Common/File/VFS/ZipFileReader.cpp b/Common/File/VFS/ZipFileReader.cpp
index d6b2751b6a..6f4968a388 100644
--- a/Common/File/VFS/ZipFileReader.cpp
+++ b/Common/File/VFS/ZipFileReader.cpp
@@ -160,8 +160,8 @@ ZipFileReader::~ZipFileReader() {
 	zip_file_.close();
 }
 
-uint8_t *ZipFileReader::ReadFile(const char *path, size_t *size) {
-	std::string temp_path = inZipPath_ + path;
+uint8_t *ZipFileReader::ReadFile(std::string_view path, size_t *size) {
+	std::string temp_path = join(inZipPath_, path);
 
 	std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(lock_);
 	// Figure out the file size first. TODO: Can this part be done without locking the mutex?
@@ -185,8 +185,8 @@ uint8_t *ZipFileReader::ReadFile(const char *path, size_t *size) {
 	return contents;
 }
 
-bool ZipFileReader::GetFileListing(const char *orig_path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter = 0) {
-	std::string path = std::string(inZipPath_) + orig_path;
+bool ZipFileReader::GetFileListing(std::string_view orig_path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter = 0) {
+	std::string path = join(inZipPath_, orig_path);
 	if (!path.empty() && path.back() != '/') {
 		path.push_back('/');
 	}
@@ -293,9 +293,9 @@ bool ZipFileReader::GetZipListings(const std::string &path, std::set<std::string
 	return anyPrefixMatched;
 }
 
-bool ZipFileReader::GetFileInfo(const char *path, File::FileInfo *info) {
+bool ZipFileReader::GetFileInfo(std::string_view path, File::FileInfo *info) {
 	struct zip_stat zstat;
-	std::string temp_path = inZipPath_ + path;
+	std::string temp_path = join(inZipPath_, path);
 
 	// Clear some things to start.
 	info->isDirectory = false;
@@ -340,8 +340,9 @@ public:
 	zip_file_t *zf = nullptr;
 };
 
-VFSFileReference *ZipFileReader::GetFile(const char *path) {
-	int zi = zip_name_locate(zip_file_, path, ZIP_FL_NOCASE);  // this is EXPENSIVE
+VFSFileReference *ZipFileReader::GetFile(std::string_view path) {
+	std::string p(path);
+	int zi = zip_name_locate(zip_file_, p.c_str(), ZIP_FL_NOCASE);  // this is EXPENSIVE
 	if (zi < 0) {
 		// Not found.
 		return nullptr;
diff --git a/Common/File/VFS/ZipFileReader.h b/Common/File/VFS/ZipFileReader.h
index b2d7d3121c..4c4e5b48fc 100644
--- a/Common/File/VFS/ZipFileReader.h
+++ b/Common/File/VFS/ZipFileReader.h
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ public:
 	bool IsValid() const { return zip_file_ != nullptr; }
 
 	// use delete[] on the returned value.
-	uint8_t *ReadFile(const char *path, size_t *size) override;
+	uint8_t *ReadFile(std::string_view path, size_t *size) override;
 
-	VFSFileReference *GetFile(const char *path) override;
+	VFSFileReference *GetFile(std::string_view path) override;
 	bool GetFileInfo(VFSFileReference *vfsReference, File::FileInfo *fileInfo) override;
 	void ReleaseFile(VFSFileReference *vfsReference) override;
 
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ public:
 	size_t Read(VFSOpenFile *vfsOpenFile, void *buffer, size_t length) override;
 	void CloseFile(VFSOpenFile *vfsOpenFile) override;
 
-	bool GetFileListing(const char *path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter) override;
-	bool GetFileInfo(const char *path, File::FileInfo *info) override;
+	bool GetFileListing(std::string_view path, std::vector<File::FileInfo> *listing, const char *filter) override;
+	bool GetFileInfo(std::string_view path, File::FileInfo *info) override;
 	std::string toString() const override {
 		std::string retval = zipPath_.ToVisualString();
 		if (!inZipPath_.empty()) {