diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 31c3e53e..3fb1e81e 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ if scdoc.found()
 	endforeach
 endif
 
-add_project_arguments('-DSYSCONFDIR="/@0@/@1@"'.format(prefix, sysconfdir), language : 'c')
+add_project_arguments('-DSYSCONFDIR="/@0@"'.format(sysconfdir), language : 'c')
 
 version = get_option('sway-version')
 if version != ''
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ subdir('swaynag')
 subdir('swaylock')
 
 config = configuration_data()
-config.set('sysconfdir', join_paths(prefix, sysconfdir))
+config.set('sysconfdir', sysconfdir)
 config.set('datadir', join_paths(prefix, datadir))
 config.set('prefix', prefix)
 
diff --git a/sway/commands/workspace.c b/sway/commands/workspace.c
index 61aa443d..58c2201d 100644
--- a/sway/commands/workspace.c
+++ b/sway/commands/workspace.c
@@ -142,7 +142,11 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_workspace(int argc, char **argv) {
 				strcasecmp(argv[0], "current") == 0) {
 			ws = workspace_by_name(argv[0]);
 		} else if (strcasecmp(argv[0], "back_and_forth") == 0) {
-			if (!(ws = workspace_by_name(argv[0])) && prev_workspace_name) {
+			if (!prev_workspace_name) {
+				return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "workspace",
+						"There is no previous workspace");
+			}
+			if (!(ws = workspace_by_name(argv[0]))) {
 				ws = workspace_create(NULL, prev_workspace_name);
 			}
 		} else {