diff --git a/src/flutter_ffi.rs b/src/flutter_ffi.rs
index db20e6084..f142074cf 100644
--- a/src/flutter_ffi.rs
+++ b/src/flutter_ffi.rs
@@ -1454,6 +1454,17 @@ pub fn main_peer_exists(id: String) -> bool {
     peer_exists(&id)
 }
 
+// `Config::path` resolves through `APP_DIR` only on mobile, where loading peers before it is set
+// would read the wrong place. Elsewhere the peer path never consults it, so an unset `APP_DIR`
+// must not stop the peers from loading.
+fn peer_config_path_ready() -> bool {
+    if cfg!(any(target_os = "android", target_os = "ios")) {
+        !config::APP_DIR.read().unwrap().is_empty()
+    } else {
+        true
+    }
+}
+
 fn load_recent_peers(
     vec_id_modified_time_path: &Vec<(String, SystemTime, std::path::PathBuf)>,
     to_end: bool,
@@ -1485,7 +1496,7 @@ pub fn main_load_recent_peers() {
         );
     };
 
-    if !config::APP_DIR.read().unwrap().is_empty() {
+    if peer_config_path_ready() {
         let vec_id_modified_time_path = PeerConfig::get_vec_id_modified_time_path(&None);
         if vec_id_modified_time_path.is_empty() {
             push_to_flutter("".to_owned(), None);
@@ -1533,7 +1544,7 @@ pub fn main_load_recent_peers_for_ab(filter: String) -> String {
     } else {
         Some(id_filters)
     };
-    if !config::APP_DIR.read().unwrap().is_empty() {
+    if peer_config_path_ready() {
         let peers: Vec<HashMap<&str, String>> = PeerConfig::peers(id_filters)
             .drain(..)
             .map(|(id, _, p)| peer_to_map(id, p))
@@ -1551,7 +1562,7 @@ pub fn main_load_fav_peers() {
             serde_json::ser::to_string(&data).unwrap_or("".to_owned()),
         );
     };
-    if !config::APP_DIR.read().unwrap().is_empty() {
+    if peer_config_path_ready() {
         let favs = get_fav();
         let mut recent = PeerConfig::peers(Some(favs.clone()));
         let mut lan = config::LanPeers::load()