diff --git a/kernel/yosys.cc b/kernel/yosys.cc
index 0362bc1eb..c7f5bebda 100644
--- a/kernel/yosys.cc
+++ b/kernel/yosys.cc
@@ -436,18 +436,18 @@ std::string make_temp_dir(std::string template_str)
 #endif
 }
 
-bool check_dir_exists(const std::string& path)
+bool check_directory_exists(const std::string& dirname)
 {
 #if defined(_WIN32)
 	struct _stat info;
-	if (_stat(path.c_str(), &info) != 0)
+	if (_stat(dirname.c_str(), &info) != 0)
 	{
 		return false;
 	}
 	return (info.st_mode & _S_IFDIR) != 0;
 #else
 	struct stat info;
-	if (stat(path.c_str(), &info) != 0)
+	if (stat(dirname.c_str(), &info) != 0)
 	{
 		return false;
 	}
@@ -500,13 +500,13 @@ void remove_directory(std::string dirname)
 #endif
 }
 
-bool create_directory(const std::string& path)
+bool create_directory(const std::string& dirname)
 {
 #if defined(_WIN32)
-	int ret = _mkdir(path.c_str());
+	int ret = _mkdir(dirname.c_str());
 #else
 	mode_t mode = 0755;
-	int ret = mkdir(path.c_str(), mode);
+	int ret = mkdir(dirname.c_str(), mode);
 #endif
 	if (ret == 0)
 		return true;
@@ -516,26 +516,26 @@ bool create_directory(const std::string& path)
 	case ENOENT:
 		// parent didn't exist, try to create it
 		{
-			std::string::size_type pos = path.find_last_of('/');
+			std::string::size_type pos = dirname.find_last_of('/');
 			if (pos == std::string::npos)
 #if defined(_WIN32)
-				pos = path.find_last_of('\\');
+				pos = dirname.find_last_of('\\');
 			if (pos == std::string::npos)
 #endif
 				return false;
-			if (!create_directory( path.substr(0, pos) ))
+			if (!create_directory( dirname.substr(0, pos) ))
 				return false;
 		}
 		// now, try to create again
 #if defined(_WIN32)
-		return 0 == _mkdir(path.c_str());
+		return 0 == _mkdir(dirname.c_str());
 #else
-		return 0 == mkdir(path.c_str(), mode);
+		return 0 == mkdir(dirname.c_str(), mode);
 #endif
 
 	case EEXIST:
 		// done!
-		return check_dir_exists(path);
+		return check_directory_exists(dirname);
 
 	default:
 		return false;
diff --git a/kernel/yosys.h b/kernel/yosys.h
index 76ad01aa9..0a4641d18 100644
--- a/kernel/yosys.h
+++ b/kernel/yosys.h
@@ -343,10 +343,10 @@ std::string get_base_tmpdir();
 std::string make_temp_file(std::string template_str = get_base_tmpdir() + "/yosys_XXXXXX");
 std::string make_temp_dir(std::string template_str = get_base_tmpdir() + "/yosys_XXXXXX");
 bool check_file_exists(std::string filename, bool is_exec = false);
-bool check_dir_exists(const std::string& path);
+bool check_directory_exists(const std::string& dirname);
 bool is_absolute_path(std::string filename);
 void remove_directory(std::string dirname);
-bool create_directory(const std::string& path);
+bool create_directory(const std::string& dirname);
 std::string escape_filename_spaces(const std::string& filename);
 
 template<typename T> int GetSize(const T &obj) { return obj.size(); }