diff --git a/rhodecode/config/settings_maker.py b/rhodecode/config/settings_maker.py
--- a/rhodecode/config/settings_maker.py
+++ b/rhodecode/config/settings_maker.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import functools
 import logging
 import tempfile
 import logging.config
+
 from rhodecode.lib.type_utils import str2bool, aslist
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -34,13 +35,16 @@ set_keys = {
 }
 
 
-class SettingsMaker(object):
+class SettingsMaker:
 
     def __init__(self, app_settings):
         self.settings = app_settings
 
     @classmethod
     def _bool_func(cls, input_val):
+        if isinstance(input_val, bytes):
+            # decode to str
+            input_val = input_val.decode('utf8')
         return str2bool(input_val)
 
     @classmethod
@@ -62,11 +66,24 @@ class SettingsMaker(object):
         return input_val
 
     @classmethod
+    def _string_no_quote_func(cls, input_val, lower=True):
+        """
+        Special case string function that detects if value is set to empty quote string
+        e.g.
+
+        core.binar_dir = ""
+        """
+
+        input_val = cls._string_func(input_val, lower=lower)
+        if input_val in ['""', "''"]:
+            return ''
+
+    @classmethod
     def _dir_func(cls, input_val, ensure_dir=False, mode=0o755):
 
         # ensure we have our dir created
         if not os.path.isdir(input_val) and ensure_dir:
-            os.makedirs(input_val, mode=mode)
+            os.makedirs(input_val, mode=mode, exist_ok=True)
 
         if not os.path.isdir(input_val):
             raise Exception(f'Dir at {input_val} does not exist')
@@ -150,6 +167,7 @@ class SettingsMaker(object):
             'list:newline': functools.partial(self._list_func, sep='/n'),
             'list:spacesep': functools.partial(self._list_func, sep=' '),
             'string': functools.partial(self._string_func, lower=lower),
+            'string:noquote': functools.partial(self._string_no_quote_func, lower=lower),
             'dir': self._dir_func,
             'dir:ensured': functools.partial(self._dir_func, ensure_dir=True),
             'file': self._file_path_func,
diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/str_utils.py b/rhodecode/lib/str_utils.py
--- a/rhodecode/lib/str_utils.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/str_utils.py
@@ -167,3 +167,17 @@ def convert_special_chars(str_) -> str:
     value = safe_str(str_)
     converted_value = unidecode(value)
     return converted_value
+
+
+def splitnewlines(text: bytes):
+    """
+    like splitlines, but only split on newlines.
+    """
+
+    lines = [_l + b'\n' for _l in text.split(b'\n')]
+    if lines:
+        if lines[-1] == b'\n':
+            lines.pop()
+        else:
+            lines[-1] = lines[-1][:-1]
+    return lines