diff --git a/internal/userdirs/config_unix.go b/internal/userdirs/config_unix.go
index f6b03b1..ac7efb9 100644
--- a/internal/userdirs/config_unix.go
+++ b/internal/userdirs/config_unix.go
@@ -11,24 +11,32 @@ import (
 	"github.com/adrg/xdg/internal/pathutil"
 )
 
-// ParseConfigFile parses the user directories config file at the specified
-// location. The returned map contains pairs consisting of the user directory
-// names and their paths. An empty map is returned if an error is encountered.
-func ParseConfigFile(name string) map[string]string {
+// ParseConfigFile parses the user directories config file at the
+// specified location.
+func ParseConfigFile(name string) (*Directories, error) {
 	f, err := os.Open(name)
 	if err != nil {
-		return map[string]string{}
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	defer f.Close()
 
 	return ParseConfig(f)
 }
 
-// ParseConfig parses the user directories config file contained in the provided
-// reader. The returned map contains pairs consisting of the user directory
-// names and their paths. An empty map is returned if an error is encountered.
-func ParseConfig(r io.Reader) map[string]string {
-	dirs := map[string]string{}
+// ParseConfig parses the user directories config file contained in
+// the provided reader.
+func ParseConfig(r io.Reader) (*Directories, error) {
+	dirs := &Directories{}
+	fieldsMap := map[string]*string{
+		EnvDesktopDir:     &dirs.Desktop,
+		EnvDownloadDir:    &dirs.Download,
+		EnvDocumentsDir:   &dirs.Documents,
+		EnvMusicDir:       &dirs.Music,
+		EnvPicturesDir:    &dirs.Pictures,
+		EnvVideosDir:      &dirs.Videos,
+		EnvTemplatesDir:   &dirs.Templates,
+		EnvPublicShareDir: &dirs.PublicShare,
+	}
 
 	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(r)
 	for scanner.Scan() {
@@ -46,17 +54,8 @@ func ParseConfig(r io.Reader) map[string]string {
 		}
 
 		// Parse key.
-		key := strings.TrimSpace(parts[0])
-		switch key {
-		case EnvDesktopDir,
-			EnvDownloadDir,
-			EnvDocumentsDir,
-			EnvMusicDir,
-			EnvPicturesDir,
-			EnvVideosDir,
-			EnvTemplatesDir,
-			EnvPublicShareDir:
-		default:
+		field, ok := fieldsMap[strings.TrimSpace(parts[0])]
+		if !ok {
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -70,14 +69,14 @@ func ParseConfig(r io.Reader) map[string]string {
 
 		for i := 1; i < lenRunes; i++ {
 			if runes[i] == '"' {
-				dirs[key] = pathutil.ExpandHome(string(runes[1:i]))
+				*field = pathutil.ExpandHome(string(runes[1:i]))
 				break
 			}
 		}
 	}
 	if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
-		return dirs
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	return dirs
+	return dirs, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/userdirs/config_unix_test.go b/internal/userdirs/config_unix_test.go
index 6f76421..5323119 100644
--- a/internal/userdirs/config_unix_test.go
+++ b/internal/userdirs/config_unix_test.go
@@ -31,24 +31,26 @@ func TestParseConfigFile(t *testing.T) {
 	err = f.Close()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	dirs := userdirs.ParseConfigFile(f.Name())
+	dirs, err := userdirs.ParseConfigFile(f.Name())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NotNil(t, dirs)
-	require.Equal(t, "/home/test/Downloads", dirs["XDG_DOWNLOAD_DIR"])
+	require.Equal(t, "/home/test/Downloads", dirs.Download)
 
 	// Test non-existent file.
 	err = os.Remove(f.Name())
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	tmpFileRemoved = true
 
-	dirs = userdirs.ParseConfigFile(f.Name())
-	require.NotNil(t, dirs)
+	dirs, err = userdirs.ParseConfigFile(f.Name())
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	require.Nil(t, dirs)
 }
 
 func TestParseConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	// Test parsed values.
 	home := pathutil.UserHomeDir()
 
-	dirs := userdirs.ParseConfig(strings.NewReader(`
+	dirs, err := userdirs.ParseConfig(strings.NewReader(`
 		# This file is written by xdg-user-dirs-update
 		# If you want to change or add directories, just edit the line you're
 		# interested in. All local changes will be retained on the next run.
@@ -70,15 +72,16 @@ func TestParseConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		XDG_DOWNLOAD_DIR
 	`))
 
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NotNil(t, dirs)
-	require.Equal(t, filepath.Join(home, "Desktop"), dirs["XDG_DESKTOP_DIR"])
-	require.Equal(t, filepath.Join(home, "Downloads"), dirs["XDG_DOWNLOAD_DIR"])
-	require.Equal(t, "/home/test/Templates", dirs["XDG_TEMPLATES_DIR"])
-	require.Equal(t, filepath.Join(home, "Public"), dirs["XDG_PUBLICSHARE_DIR"])
-	require.Equal(t, filepath.Join(home, "Documents"), dirs["XDG_DOCUMENTS_DIR"])
-	require.Equal(t, filepath.Join(home, "Music"), dirs["XDG_MUSIC_DIR"])
-	require.Equal(t, "", dirs["XDG_PICTURES_DIR"])
-	require.Equal(t, "", dirs["XDG_VIDEOS_DIR"])
+	require.Equal(t, filepath.Join(home, "Desktop"), dirs.Desktop)
+	require.Equal(t, filepath.Join(home, "Downloads"), dirs.Download)
+	require.Equal(t, "/home/test/Templates", dirs.Templates)
+	require.Equal(t, filepath.Join(home, "Public"), dirs.PublicShare)
+	require.Equal(t, filepath.Join(home, "Documents"), dirs.Documents)
+	require.Equal(t, filepath.Join(home, "Music"), dirs.Music)
+	require.Equal(t, "", dirs.Pictures)
+	require.Equal(t, "", dirs.Videos)
 
 	// Test reader error.
 	f, err := os.CreateTemp("", "test_parse_config")
@@ -88,6 +91,7 @@ func TestParseConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	err = f.Close()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	dirs = userdirs.ParseConfig(f)
-	require.NotNil(t, dirs)
+	dirs, err = userdirs.ParseConfig(f)
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	require.Nil(t, dirs)
 }
diff --git a/paths_unix.go b/paths_unix.go
index a87a601..dd98839 100644
--- a/paths_unix.go
+++ b/paths_unix.go
@@ -52,14 +52,17 @@ func initBaseDirs(home string) {
 }
 
 func initUserDirs(home, configHome string) {
-	userDirsMap := userdirs.ParseConfigFile(filepath.Join(configHome, "user-dirs.dirs"))
+	dirs, err := userdirs.ParseConfigFile(filepath.Join(configHome, "user-dirs.dirs"))
+	if err != nil {
+		dirs = &UserDirectories{}
+	}
 
-	UserDirs.Desktop = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvDesktopDir, userDirsMap[userdirs.EnvDesktopDir], filepath.Join(home, "Desktop"))
-	UserDirs.Download = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvDownloadDir, userDirsMap[userdirs.EnvDownloadDir], filepath.Join(home, "Downloads"))
-	UserDirs.Documents = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvDocumentsDir, userDirsMap[userdirs.EnvDocumentsDir], filepath.Join(home, "Documents"))
-	UserDirs.Music = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvMusicDir, userDirsMap[userdirs.EnvMusicDir], filepath.Join(home, "Music"))
-	UserDirs.Pictures = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvPicturesDir, userDirsMap[userdirs.EnvPicturesDir], filepath.Join(home, "Pictures"))
-	UserDirs.Videos = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvVideosDir, userDirsMap[userdirs.EnvVideosDir], filepath.Join(home, "Videos"))
-	UserDirs.Templates = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvTemplatesDir, userDirsMap[userdirs.EnvTemplatesDir], filepath.Join(home, "Templates"))
-	UserDirs.PublicShare = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvPublicShareDir, userDirsMap[userdirs.EnvPublicShareDir], filepath.Join(home, "Public"))
+	UserDirs.Desktop = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvDesktopDir, dirs.Desktop, filepath.Join(home, "Desktop"))
+	UserDirs.Download = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvDownloadDir, dirs.Download, filepath.Join(home, "Downloads"))
+	UserDirs.Documents = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvDocumentsDir, dirs.Documents, filepath.Join(home, "Documents"))
+	UserDirs.Music = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvMusicDir, dirs.Music, filepath.Join(home, "Music"))
+	UserDirs.Pictures = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvPicturesDir, dirs.Pictures, filepath.Join(home, "Pictures"))
+	UserDirs.Videos = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvVideosDir, dirs.Videos, filepath.Join(home, "Videos"))
+	UserDirs.Templates = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvTemplatesDir, dirs.Templates, filepath.Join(home, "Templates"))
+	UserDirs.PublicShare = pathutil.EnvPath(userdirs.EnvPublicShareDir, dirs.PublicShare, filepath.Join(home, "Public"))
 }