diff --git a/packages/zowe-explorer/__tests__/__unit__/uss/actions.unit.test.ts b/packages/zowe-explorer/__tests__/__unit__/uss/actions.unit.test.ts
index 3fff27529a..273519df5a 100644
--- a/packages/zowe-explorer/__tests__/__unit__/uss/actions.unit.test.ts
+++ b/packages/zowe-explorer/__tests__/__unit__/uss/actions.unit.test.ts
@@ -205,6 +205,32 @@ describe("USS Action Unit Tests - Function createUSSNode", () => {
         expect(refreshActions.refreshAll).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
 
+    it("returns early if a location was never provided", async () => {
+        const globalMocks = createGlobalMocks();
+        const blockMocks = await createBlockMocks(globalMocks);
+
+        globalMocks.mockShowInputBox.mockResolvedValueOnce(undefined);
+        const createApiMock = jest.spyOn(blockMocks.ussApi, "create").mockImplementation();
+        blockMocks.ussNode.getParent().fullPath = "";
+
+        await ussNodeActions.createUSSNode(blockMocks.ussNode.getParent(), blockMocks.testUSSTree, "directory");
+        expect(createApiMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        createApiMock.mockRestore();
+    });
+
+    it("handles trailing slashes in the location", async () => {
+        const globalMocks = createGlobalMocks();
+        const blockMocks = await createBlockMocks(globalMocks);
+
+        globalMocks.mockShowInputBox.mockResolvedValueOnce("/u/myuser/aDir/");
+        globalMocks.mockShowInputBox.mockResolvedValueOnce("testFile.txt");
+        const createApiMock = jest.spyOn(blockMocks.ussApi, "create").mockImplementation();
+
+        await ussNodeActions.createUSSNode(blockMocks.ussNode.getParent(), blockMocks.testUSSTree, "file");
+        expect(createApiMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith("/u/myuser/aDir/testFile.txt", "file");
+        createApiMock.mockRestore();
+    });
+
     it("Tests that createUSSNode does not execute if node name was not entered", async () => {
         const globalMocks = createGlobalMocks();
         const blockMocks = await createBlockMocks(globalMocks);
diff --git a/packages/zowe-explorer/src/uss/actions.ts b/packages/zowe-explorer/src/uss/actions.ts
index dd87421699..47014435dd 100644
--- a/packages/zowe-explorer/src/uss/actions.ts
+++ b/packages/zowe-explorer/src/uss/actions.ts
@@ -64,13 +64,18 @@ export async function createUSSNode(
     } else {
         filePath = node.fullPath;
     }
+
+    if (filePath == null || filePath?.length === 0) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     const nameOptions: vscode.InputBoxOptions = {
         placeHolder: localize("createUSSNode.name", "Name of file or directory"),
     };
     const name = await Gui.showInputBox(nameOptions);
     if (name && filePath) {
         try {
-            filePath = `${filePath}/${name}`;
+            filePath = path.posix.join(filePath, name);
             await ZoweExplorerApiRegister.getUssApi(node.getProfile()).create(filePath, nodeType);
             if (isTopLevel) {
                 await refreshAll(ussFileProvider);