diff --git a/cmake/libraries/spdlog.cmake b/cmake/libraries/spdlog.cmake
index b9450d03..47e2e95f 100644
--- a/cmake/libraries/spdlog.cmake
+++ b/cmake/libraries/spdlog.cmake
@@ -6,15 +6,7 @@ if(PROJECT_ENABLE_SPDLOG)
 
     include_directories(BEFORE SYSTEM ${SPDLOG_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
-    if(PROJECT_IS_MINGW_UNIX)
-      if(PROJECT_STATIC_LINK)
-        link_libraries(/mingw64/lib/libspdlog.a)
-      else()
-        link_libraries(/mingw64/lib/libspdlog.dll.a)
-      endif()
-    else()
-      link_libraries(spdlog::spdlog) 
-    endif()
+    link_libraries(spdlog::spdlog) 
   elseif(NOT PROJECT_IS_MINGW OR CMAKE_HOST_WIN32)
     ExternalProject_Add(spdlog_project
       PREFIX external
@@ -23,7 +15,6 @@ if(PROJECT_ENABLE_SPDLOG)
       LIST_SEPARATOR |
       CMAKE_ARGS ${PROJECT_EXTERNAL_CMAKE_FLAGS}
         -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=${PROJECT_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS}
-        -DBUILD_STATIC_LIBS=ON
         -DSPDLOG_BUILD_EXAMPLE=OFF
         -DSPDLOG_FMT_EXTERNAL=OFF
         -DSPDLOG_FMT_EXTERNAL_HO=OFF
diff --git a/docker/x86_64/mingw64 b/docker/x86_64/mingw64
index 4de4d4b1..a7c0acdf 100644
--- a/docker/x86_64/mingw64
+++ b/docker/x86_64/mingw64
@@ -570,8 +570,7 @@ RUN if [ -f "/3rd_party/spdlog-${MY_SPDLOG_VERSION}.tar.gz" ]; then \
       && cd build \
       && cmake .. -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=${MY_TOOLCHAIN_FILE_CMAKE} \
         -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${MY_MINGW_DIR} \
-        -DSPDLOG_BUILD_SHARED=ON \
-        -DSPDLOG_BUILD_STATIC=ON \
+        -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF \
         -DSPDLOG_BUILD_EXAMPLE=OFF \
         -DSPDLOG_FMT_EXTERNAL=OFF \
         -DSPDLOG_FMT_EXTERNAL_HO=OFF \
diff --git a/support/include/utils/path.hpp b/support/include/utils/path.hpp
index 897cb8ef..0b806c01 100644
--- a/support/include/utils/path.hpp
+++ b/support/include/utils/path.hpp
@@ -271,16 +271,12 @@ template <typename string_t>
   }
 #endif // defined(_WIN32)
 
+  format_path(api_path, slash_t, backslash_t);
+
   while (utils::string::begins_with(api_path, dot_slash_t)) {
     api_path = api_path.substr(dot_slash_t.size());
   }
 
-  while (utils::string::begins_with(api_path, dot_t)) {
-    api_path = api_path.substr(dot_t.size());
-  }
-
-  format_path(api_path, slash_t, backslash_t);
-
   if (api_path.at(0U) != slash_t.at(0U)) {
     return string_t{slash_t} + api_path;
   }
diff --git a/support/src/utils/file_file.cpp b/support/src/utils/file_file.cpp
index dcddac37..5bdecdac 100644
--- a/support/src/utils/file_file.cpp
+++ b/support/src/utils/file_file.cpp
@@ -110,28 +110,29 @@ auto file::open_file(std::filesystem::path path, bool read_only) -> file {
 auto file::open_or_create_file(std::filesystem::path path,
                                bool read_only) -> file {
   path = utils::path::absolute(path.string());
-
+  if (not utils::file::is_file(path.string())) {
 #if defined(_WIN32)
-  int old_mode{};
-  _umask_s(077, &old_mode);
+    int old_mode{};
+    _umask_s(077, &old_mode);
 #else  // !defined(_WIN32)
-  auto old_mode = umask(077);
+    auto old_mode = umask(077);
 #endif // defined(_WIN32)
 
 #if defined(_WIN32)
-  auto *ptr = _fsopen(path.string().c_str(), "ab+", _SH_DENYNO);
+    auto *ptr = _fsopen(path.string().c_str(), "ab+", _SH_DENYNO);
 #else  // !defined(_WIN32)
-  auto *ptr = fopen(path.string().c_str(), "ab+");
+    auto *ptr = fopen(path.string().c_str(), "ab+");
 #endif // defined(_WIN32)
 
 #if defined(_WIN32)
-  _umask_s(old_mode, nullptr);
+    _umask_s(old_mode, nullptr);
 #else  // !defined(_WIN32)
-  umask(old_mode);
+    umask(old_mode);
 #endif // defined(_WIN32)
 
-  if (ptr != nullptr) {
-    fclose(ptr);
+    if (ptr != nullptr) {
+      fclose(ptr);
+    }
   }
 
   return open_file(path, read_only);
diff --git a/support/test/src/utils/path_test.cpp b/support/test/src/utils/path_test.cpp
index f1479341..2742bbba 100644
--- a/support/test/src/utils/path_test.cpp
+++ b/support/test/src/utils/path_test.cpp
@@ -114,6 +114,13 @@ TEST(utils_path, combine) {
   EXPECT_STREQ("/test/path/again", s.c_str());
 #endif
 
+  s = utils::path::combine("/home/test/.dest", {".state"});
+#if defined(_WIN32)
+  EXPECT_STREQ("\\home\\test\\.dest\\.state", s.c_str());
+#else
+  EXPECT_STREQ("/home/test/.dest/.state", s.c_str());
+#endif
+
 #if defined(_WIN32)
   s = utils::path::combine(R"(R:\test)", {R"(\path)", R"(\again\)"});
   EXPECT_STREQ(R"(r:\test\path\again)", s.c_str());
@@ -200,6 +207,15 @@ TEST(utils_path, create_api_path) {
 
   s = utils::path::create_api_path("/cow\\\\/moose\\\\/\\dog\\chicken\\");
   EXPECT_STREQ("/cow/moose/dog/chicken", s.c_str());
+
+  s = utils::path::create_api_path(".state");
+  EXPECT_STREQ("/.state", s.c_str());
+
+  s = utils::path::create_api_path("/.state/.local");
+  EXPECT_STREQ("/.state/.local", s.c_str());
+
+  s = utils::path::create_api_path("./.state/.local");
+  EXPECT_STREQ("/.state/.local", s.c_str());
 }
 
 TEST(utils_path, finalize) {