By returning to the underlying discrete time formalism, we relate spurious results in coherent state semiclassical path integral calculations, i.e. those involving quadratic fluctuations about classical paths, to the high frequency structure of their propagators. We show how to modify the standard expressions for thermodynamic quantities to yield correct results. These expressions are relevant to a broad range of physical problems, from the thermodynamics of Bose lattice gases to the dynamics of spin systems. © 2015, EDP Sciences and Springer.