diff --git a/UnleashedRecomp/CMakeLists.txt b/UnleashedRecomp/CMakeLists.txt
index 0adeb8a4..38097443 100644
--- a/UnleashedRecomp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/UnleashedRecomp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ set(UNLEASHED_RECOMP_USER_CXX_SOURCES
     "user/achievement_manager.cpp"
     "user/config.cpp"
     "user/registry.cpp"
+    "user/paths.cpp"
 )
 
 set(UNLEASHED_RECOMP_MOD_CXX_SOURCES
diff --git a/UnleashedRecomp/main.cpp b/UnleashedRecomp/main.cpp
index a88882ba..656a9382 100644
--- a/UnleashedRecomp/main.cpp
+++ b/UnleashedRecomp/main.cpp
@@ -152,6 +152,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     os::logger::Init();
 
+    Registry::Load();
+
+    if (!Registry::RootDirectoryPath.empty())
+    {
+        if (!os::process::SetWorkingDirectory(std::filesystem::path(Registry::RootDirectoryPath)))
+            LOGFN_ERROR("Failed to set working directory: \"{}\"", Registry::RootDirectoryPath.string());
+    }
+
     bool forceInstaller = false;
     bool forceDLCInstaller = false;
     const char *sdlVideoDriver = nullptr;
@@ -171,13 +179,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
     Config::Load();
-    Registry::Load();
-
-    if (!Registry::RootDirectoryPath.empty())
-    {
-        if (!os::process::SetWorkingDirectory(std::filesystem::path(Registry::RootDirectoryPath)))
-            LOGFN_ERROR("Failed to set working directory: \"{}\"", Registry::RootDirectoryPath.string());
-    }
 
     HostStartup();
 
diff --git a/UnleashedRecomp/user/paths.cpp b/UnleashedRecomp/user/paths.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..398fb152
--- /dev/null
+++ b/UnleashedRecomp/user/paths.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+#include "paths.h"
+#include <os/process.h>
+
+std::filesystem::path g_executableRoot = os::process::GetExecutablePath().remove_filename();
+std::filesystem::path g_userPath = BuildUserPath();
+
+bool CheckPortable()
+{
+    return std::filesystem::exists(g_executableRoot / "/portable.txt");
+}
+
+std::filesystem::path BuildUserPath()
+{
+    if (CheckPortable())
+        return g_executableRoot;
+
+    std::filesystem::path userPath;
+
+#if defined(_WIN32)
+    PWSTR knownPath = NULL;
+    if (SHGetKnownFolderPath(FOLDERID_RoamingAppData, 0, NULL, &knownPath) == S_OK)
+        userPath = std::filesystem::path{ knownPath } / USER_DIRECTORY;
+
+    CoTaskMemFree(knownPath);
+#elif defined(__linux__)
+    const char* homeDir = getenv("HOME");
+    if (homeDir == nullptr)
+    {
+        homeDir = getpwuid(getuid())->pw_dir;
+    }
+
+    if (homeDir != nullptr)
+    {
+        // Prefer to store in the .config directory if it exists. Use the home directory otherwise.
+        std::filesystem::path homePath = homeDir;
+        std::filesystem::path configPath = homePath / ".config";
+        if (std::filesystem::exists(configPath))
+            userPath = configPath / USER_DIRECTORY;
+        else
+            userPath = homePath / ("." USER_DIRECTORY);
+    }
+#else
+    static_assert(false, "GetUserPath() not implemented for this platform.");
+#endif
+
+    return userPath;
+}
+
+const std::filesystem::path& GetUserPath()
+{
+    return g_userPath;
+}
diff --git a/UnleashedRecomp/user/paths.h b/UnleashedRecomp/user/paths.h
index 003f4eb7..951a637a 100644
--- a/UnleashedRecomp/user/paths.h
+++ b/UnleashedRecomp/user/paths.h
@@ -13,49 +13,16 @@ inline std::filesystem::path GetGamePath()
     return GAME_INSTALL_DIRECTORY;
 }
 
-inline std::filesystem::path GetUserPath()
-{
-    if (std::filesystem::exists(GAME_INSTALL_DIRECTORY "/portable.txt"))
-        return GAME_INSTALL_DIRECTORY;
-
-    std::filesystem::path userPath;
-
-#if defined(_WIN32)
-    PWSTR knownPath = NULL;
-    if (SHGetKnownFolderPath(FOLDERID_RoamingAppData, 0, NULL, &knownPath) == S_OK)
-        userPath = std::filesystem::path{ knownPath } / USER_DIRECTORY;
-
-    CoTaskMemFree(knownPath);
-#elif defined(__linux__)
-    const char *homeDir = getenv("HOME");
-    if (homeDir == nullptr)
-    {
-        homeDir = getpwuid(getuid())->pw_dir;
-    }
-
-    if (homeDir != nullptr)
-    {
-        // Prefer to store in the .config directory if it exists. Use the home directory otherwise.
-        std::filesystem::path homePath = homeDir;
-        std::filesystem::path configPath = homePath / ".config";
-        if (std::filesystem::exists(configPath))
-            userPath = configPath / USER_DIRECTORY;
-        else
-            userPath = homePath / ("." USER_DIRECTORY);
-    }
-#else
-    static_assert(false, "GetUserPath() not implemented for this platform.");
-#endif
-
-    return userPath;
-}
+bool CheckPortable();
+std::filesystem::path BuildUserPath();
+const std::filesystem::path& GetUserPath();
 
 inline std::filesystem::path GetSavePath(bool checkForMods)
 {
     if (checkForMods && !ModLoader::s_saveFilePath.empty())
         return ModLoader::s_saveFilePath.parent_path();
     else
-        return GetUserPath() / "save";
+        return BuildUserPath() / "save";
 }
 
 // Returned file name may not necessarily be