diff --git a/apps/niftest/niftest.cpp b/apps/niftest/niftest.cpp
index b37d85d739..5dbe99c356 100644
--- a/apps/niftest/niftest.cpp
+++ b/apps/niftest/niftest.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ void readVFS(std::unique_ptr<VFS::Archive>&& archive, const std::filesystem::pat
     vfs.addArchive(std::move(archive));
     vfs.buildIndex();
 
-    for (const auto& name : vfs.getRecursiveDirectoryIterator(""))
+    for (const auto& name : vfs.getRecursiveDirectoryIterator())
     {
         if (isNIF(name.value()))
         {
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/world/resources.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/world/resources.cpp
index 9957af3d66..7082575c64 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/world/resources.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/world/resources.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ void CSMWorld::Resources::recreate(const VFS::Manager* vfs, const char* const* e
 
     size_t baseSize = mBaseDirectory.size();
 
-    for (const auto& filepath : vfs->getRecursiveDirectoryIterator(""))
+    for (const auto& filepath : vfs->getRecursiveDirectoryIterator())
     {
         const std::string_view view = filepath.view();
         if (view.size() < baseSize + 1 || !view.starts_with(mBaseDirectory) || view[baseSize] != '/')
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwbase/soundmanager.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwbase/soundmanager.hpp
index 05b925f87d..a55d696224 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwbase/soundmanager.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwbase/soundmanager.hpp
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ namespace MWBase
         virtual bool isMusicPlaying() = 0;
         ///< Returns true if music is playing
 
-        virtual void playPlaylist(const std::string& playlist) = 0;
+        virtual void playPlaylist(VFS::Path::NormalizedView playlist) = 0;
         ///< Start playing music from the selected folder
         /// \param name of the folder that contains the playlist
         /// Title music playlist is predefined
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/loadingscreen.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/loadingscreen.cpp
index 8ba2bb8312..3a9aba7828 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/loadingscreen.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/loadingscreen.cpp
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ namespace MWGui
                 != supported_extensions.end();
         };
 
-        for (const auto& name : mResourceSystem->getVFS()->getRecursiveDirectoryIterator("Splash/"))
+        constexpr VFS::Path::NormalizedView splash("splash/");
+        for (const auto& name : mResourceSystem->getVFS()->getRecursiveDirectoryIterator(splash))
         {
             if (isSupportedExtension(Misc::getFileExtension(name)))
                 mSplashScreens.push_back(name);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/settingswindow.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/settingswindow.cpp
index 396d0b18a3..075a338592 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/settingswindow.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/settingswindow.cpp
@@ -402,7 +402,8 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         std::vector<std::string> availableLanguages;
         const VFS::Manager* vfs = MWBase::Environment::get().getResourceSystem()->getVFS();
-        for (const auto& path : vfs->getRecursiveDirectoryIterator("l10n/"))
+        constexpr VFS::Path::NormalizedView l10n("l10n/");
+        for (const auto& path : vfs->getRecursiveDirectoryIterator(l10n))
         {
             if (Misc::getFileExtension(path) == "yaml")
             {
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
index 47fba46c75..048476c6ef 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/mechanicsmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
 #include "../mwbase/windowmanager.hpp"
 #include "../mwbase/world.hpp"
 
+#include "../mwsound/constants.hpp"
+
 #include "actor.hpp"
 #include "actors.hpp"
 #include "actorutil.hpp"
@@ -1678,12 +1680,12 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         if (mMusicType != MWSound::MusicType::Explore && !hasHostiles
             && !(player.getClass().getCreatureStats(player).isDead() && musicPlaying))
         {
-            MWBase::Environment::get().getSoundManager()->playPlaylist(std::string("Explore"));
+            MWBase::Environment::get().getSoundManager()->playPlaylist(MWSound::explorePlaylist);
             mMusicType = MWSound::MusicType::Explore;
         }
         else if (mMusicType != MWSound::MusicType::Battle && hasHostiles)
         {
-            MWBase::Environment::get().getSoundManager()->playPlaylist(std::string("Battle"));
+            MWBase::Environment::get().getSoundManager()->playPlaylist(MWSound::battlePlaylist);
             mMusicType = MWSound::MusicType::Battle;
         }
     }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/constants.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/constants.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5022b142f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/constants.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#ifndef OPENMW_APPS_OPENMW_MWSOUND_CONSTANTS_H
+#define OPENMW_APPS_OPENMW_MWSOUND_CONSTANTS_H
+
+#include <components/vfs/pathutil.hpp>
+
+namespace MWSound
+{
+    constexpr VFS::Path::NormalizedView battlePlaylist("battle");
+    constexpr VFS::Path::NormalizedView explorePlaylist("explore");
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp
index 6ad1359c0d..4c3f227ecd 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.cpp
@@ -26,14 +26,14 @@
 
 #include "../mwmechanics/actorutil.hpp"
 
+#include "constants.hpp"
+#include "ffmpeg_decoder.hpp"
+#include "openal_output.hpp"
 #include "sound.hpp"
 #include "sound_buffer.hpp"
 #include "sound_decoder.hpp"
 #include "sound_output.hpp"
 
-#include "ffmpeg_decoder.hpp"
-#include "openal_output.hpp"
-
 namespace MWSound
 {
     namespace
@@ -352,12 +352,12 @@ namespace MWSound
         mechanicsManager->setMusicType(type);
         advanceMusic(normalizedName, fade);
         if (type == MWSound::MusicType::Battle)
-            mCurrentPlaylist = "Battle";
+            mCurrentPlaylist = battlePlaylist;
         else if (type == MWSound::MusicType::Explore)
-            mCurrentPlaylist = "Explore";
+            mCurrentPlaylist = explorePlaylist;
     }
 
-    void SoundManager::playPlaylist(const std::string& playlist)
+    void SoundManager::playPlaylist(VFS::Path::NormalizedView playlist)
     {
         if (mCurrentPlaylist == playlist)
             return;
@@ -367,17 +367,18 @@ namespace MWSound
         if (it == mMusicFiles.end())
         {
             std::vector<VFS::Path::Normalized> filelist;
-            auto playlistPath = Misc::ResourceHelpers::correctMusicPath(playlist) + '/';
-            for (const auto& name : mVFS->getRecursiveDirectoryIterator(playlistPath))
+            constexpr VFS::Path::NormalizedView music("music");
+            const VFS::Path::Normalized playlistPath = music / playlist / VFS::Path::NormalizedView();
+            for (const auto& name : mVFS->getRecursiveDirectoryIterator(VFS::Path::NormalizedView(playlistPath)))
                 filelist.push_back(name);
 
             it = mMusicFiles.emplace_hint(it, playlist, std::move(filelist));
         }
 
         // No Battle music? Use Explore playlist
-        if (playlist == "Battle" && it->second.empty())
+        if (playlist == battlePlaylist && it->second.empty())
         {
-            playPlaylist("Explore");
+            playPlaylist(explorePlaylist);
             return;
         }
 
@@ -1024,7 +1025,7 @@ namespace MWSound
         mTimePassed = 0.0f;
 
         // Make sure music is still playing
-        if (!isMusicPlaying() && !mCurrentPlaylist.empty())
+        if (!isMusicPlaying() && !mCurrentPlaylist.value().empty())
             startRandomTitle();
 
         Environment env = Env_Normal;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.hpp
index bd9743c528..7fc7c143d5 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanagerimp.hpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #include <components/fallback/fallback.hpp>
 #include <components/misc/objectpool.hpp>
+#include <components/misc/strings/algorithm.hpp>
 #include <components/settings/settings.hpp>
 
 #include "../mwbase/soundmanager.hpp"
@@ -52,7 +53,8 @@ namespace MWSound
         std::unique_ptr<Sound_Output> mOutput;
 
         // Caches available music tracks by <playlist name, (sound files) >
-        std::unordered_map<std::string, std::vector<VFS::Path::Normalized>> mMusicFiles;
+        std::unordered_map<VFS::Path::Normalized, std::vector<VFS::Path::Normalized>, VFS::Path::Hash, std::equal_to<>>
+            mMusicFiles;
         std::unordered_map<std::string, std::vector<int>> mMusicToPlay; // A list with music files not yet played
         std::string mLastPlayedMusic; // The music file that was last played
 
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@ namespace MWSound
         TrackList mActiveTracks;
 
         StreamPtr mMusic;
-        std::string mCurrentPlaylist;
+        VFS::Path::Normalized mCurrentPlaylist;
 
         bool mListenerUnderwater;
         osg::Vec3f mListenerPos;
@@ -183,7 +185,7 @@ namespace MWSound
         bool isMusicPlaying() override;
         ///< Returns true if music is playing
 
-        void playPlaylist(const std::string& playlist) override;
+        void playPlaylist(VFS::Path::NormalizedView playlist) override;
         ///< Start playing music from the selected folder
         /// \param name of the folder that contains the playlist
         /// Title music playlist is predefined
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
index 74335a1534..c72a9993d6 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@
 #include "../mwphysics/object.hpp"
 #include "../mwphysics/physicssystem.hpp"
 
+#include "../mwsound/constants.hpp"
+
 #include "actionteleport.hpp"
 #include "cellstore.hpp"
 #include "containerstore.hpp"
@@ -394,7 +396,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
             {
                 // Make sure that we do not continue to play a Title music after a new game video.
                 MWBase::Environment::get().getSoundManager()->stopMusic();
-                MWBase::Environment::get().getSoundManager()->playPlaylist(std::string("Explore"));
+                MWBase::Environment::get().getSoundManager()->playPlaylist(MWSound::explorePlaylist);
                 MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->playVideo(video, true);
             }
         }
diff --git a/components/misc/resourcehelpers.cpp b/components/misc/resourcehelpers.cpp
index 1d5b57bfd9..1eb3800012 100644
--- a/components/misc/resourcehelpers.cpp
+++ b/components/misc/resourcehelpers.cpp
@@ -186,9 +186,11 @@ VFS::Path::Normalized Misc::ResourceHelpers::correctSoundPath(VFS::Path::Normali
     return prefix / resPath;
 }
 
-std::string Misc::ResourceHelpers::correctMusicPath(const std::string& resPath)
+std::string Misc::ResourceHelpers::correctMusicPath(std::string_view resPath)
 {
-    return "music\\" + resPath;
+    std::string result("music/");
+    result += resPath;
+    return result;
 }
 
 std::string_view Misc::ResourceHelpers::meshPathForESM3(std::string_view resPath)
diff --git a/components/misc/resourcehelpers.hpp b/components/misc/resourcehelpers.hpp
index cda99d928d..4e747c54ee 100644
--- a/components/misc/resourcehelpers.hpp
+++ b/components/misc/resourcehelpers.hpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ namespace Misc
         VFS::Path::Normalized correctSoundPath(VFS::Path::NormalizedView resPath);
 
         // Adds "music\\".
-        std::string correctMusicPath(const std::string& resPath);
+        std::string correctMusicPath(std::string_view resPath);
 
         // Removes "meshes\\".
         std::string_view meshPathForESM3(std::string_view resPath);
diff --git a/components/vfs/manager.cpp b/components/vfs/manager.cpp
index 936dd64679..2d22a7a034 100644
--- a/components/vfs/manager.cpp
+++ b/components/vfs/manager.cpp
@@ -99,4 +99,21 @@ namespace VFS
         ++normalized.back();
         return { it, mIndex.lower_bound(normalized) };
     }
+
+    RecursiveDirectoryRange Manager::getRecursiveDirectoryIterator(VFS::Path::NormalizedView path) const
+    {
+        if (path.value().empty())
+            return { mIndex.begin(), mIndex.end() };
+        const auto it = mIndex.lower_bound(path);
+        if (it == mIndex.end() || !it->first.view().starts_with(path.value()))
+            return { it, it };
+        std::string copy(path.value());
+        ++copy.back();
+        return { it, mIndex.lower_bound(copy) };
+    }
+
+    RecursiveDirectoryRange Manager::getRecursiveDirectoryIterator() const
+    {
+        return { mIndex.begin(), mIndex.end() };
+    }
 }
diff --git a/components/vfs/manager.hpp b/components/vfs/manager.hpp
index 59211602de..d64be1d1d1 100644
--- a/components/vfs/manager.hpp
+++ b/components/vfs/manager.hpp
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ namespace VFS
         /// @note May be called from any thread once the index has been built.
         RecursiveDirectoryRange getRecursiveDirectoryIterator(std::string_view path) const;
 
+        RecursiveDirectoryRange getRecursiveDirectoryIterator(VFS::Path::NormalizedView path) const;
+
+        RecursiveDirectoryRange getRecursiveDirectoryIterator() const;
+
         /// Retrieve the absolute path to the file
         /// @note Throws an exception if the file can not be found.
         /// @note May be called from any thread once the index has been built.
diff --git a/components/vfs/pathutil.hpp b/components/vfs/pathutil.hpp
index 1696e656ad..50f16d1804 100644
--- a/components/vfs/pathutil.hpp
+++ b/components/vfs/pathutil.hpp
@@ -179,6 +179,12 @@ namespace VFS::Path
             return true;
         }
 
+        Normalized& operator=(NormalizedView value)
+        {
+            mValue = value.value();
+            return *this;
+        }
+
         Normalized& operator/=(NormalizedView value)
         {
             mValue.reserve(mValue.size() + value.value().size() + 1);
@@ -258,6 +264,22 @@ namespace VFS::Path
         result /= rhs;
         return result;
     }
+
+    struct Hash
+    {
+        using is_transparent = void;
+
+        [[nodiscard]] std::size_t operator()(std::string_view sv) const { return std::hash<std::string_view>{}(sv); }
+
+        [[nodiscard]] std::size_t operator()(const std::string& s) const { return std::hash<std::string>{}(s); }
+
+        [[nodiscard]] std::size_t operator()(const Normalized& s) const { return std::hash<std::string>{}(s.value()); }
+
+        [[nodiscard]] std::size_t operator()(NormalizedView s) const
+        {
+            return std::hash<std::string_view>{}(s.value());
+        }
+    };
 }
 
 #endif