diff --git a/src/RunGui.cpp b/src/RunGui.cpp
index f4a11b19..523a3c9f 100644
--- a/src/RunGui.cpp
+++ b/src/RunGui.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 #include <csignal>
 
 #include "Application.hpp"
-#include "common/Modes.hpp"
 #include "common/NetworkManager.hpp"
 #include "singletons/Paths.hpp"
 #include "singletons/Resources.hpp"
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index c2c4d9ab..990f6e83 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 #include "BrowserExtension.hpp"
 #include "RunGui.hpp"
 #include "common/Args.hpp"
-#include "common/Modes.hpp"
 #include "singletons/Paths.hpp"
 #include "singletons/Settings.hpp"
 #include "util/IncognitoBrowser.hpp"
@@ -29,35 +28,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     else
     {
         initArgs(args);
-        Paths *paths{};
+        Paths paths;
+        Settings settings(paths.settingsDirectory);
 
-        try
-        {
-            paths = new Paths;
-        }
-        catch (std::runtime_error &error)
-        {
-            QMessageBox box;
-            if (Modes::getInstance().isPortable)
-            {
-                box.setText(
-                    error.what() +
-                    QStringLiteral(
-                        "\n\nInfo: Portable mode requires the application to "
-                        "be in a writeable location. If you don't want "
-                        "portable mode reinstall the application. "
-                        "https://chatterino.com."));
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                box.setText(error.what());
-            }
-            box.exec();
-            return 1;
-        }
-
-        Settings settings(paths->settingsDirectory);
-
-        runGui(a, *paths, settings);
+        runGui(a, paths, settings);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/singletons/Paths.cpp b/src/singletons/Paths.cpp
index 83d7ab5a..ea8e2526 100644
--- a/src/singletons/Paths.cpp
+++ b/src/singletons/Paths.cpp
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@
 #include "common/Modes.hpp"
 #include "util/CombinePath.hpp"
 
-using namespace std::literals;
-
 namespace chatterino {
 
 Paths *Paths::instance = nullptr;
@@ -24,7 +22,7 @@ Paths::Paths()
     this->initAppFilePathHash();
 
     this->initCheckPortable();
-    this->initRootDirectory();
+    this->initAppDataDirectory();
     this->initSubDirectories();
 }
 
@@ -78,7 +76,7 @@ void Paths::initCheckPortable()
         combinePath(QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath(), "portable"));
 }
 
-void Paths::initRootDirectory()
+void Paths::initAppDataDirectory()
 {
     assert(this->portable_.is_initialized());
 
@@ -97,8 +95,8 @@ void Paths::initRootDirectory()
             QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::AppDataLocation);
         if (path.isEmpty())
         {
-            throw std::runtime_error("Could not create directory \""s +
-                                     path.toStdString() + "\"");
+            throw std::runtime_error(
+                "Error finding writable location for settings");
         }
 
 // create directory Chatterino2 instead of chatterino on windows because the
@@ -125,8 +123,8 @@ void Paths::initSubDirectories()
 
         if (!QDir().mkpath(path))
         {
-            throw std::runtime_error("Could not create directory \""s +
-                                     path.toStdString() + "\"");
+            throw std::runtime_error(
+                "Error creating appdata path %appdata%/chatterino/" + name);
         }
 
         return path;
diff --git a/src/singletons/Paths.hpp b/src/singletons/Paths.hpp
index ea4cb6c2..1df1fc77 100644
--- a/src/singletons/Paths.hpp
+++ b/src/singletons/Paths.hpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public:
 private:
     void initAppFilePathHash();
     void initCheckPortable();
-    void initRootDirectory();
+    void initAppDataDirectory();
     void initSubDirectories();
 
     boost::optional<bool> portable_;