diff --git a/desktop/src/api/anime/anime.controller.ts b/desktop/src/api/anime/anime.controller.ts
index 0bbec30..bfebb42 100644
--- a/desktop/src/api/anime/anime.controller.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/api/anime/anime.controller.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import * as animeService from './anime.service';
 import { setActivity } from '../rpc/rp.service';
 import { upsertListEntry } from '../list/list.service';
 import {getExtension} from '../../shared/extensions';
+import { getConfig as loadConfig } from '../../shared/config';
 import {Anime, AnimeRequest, SearchRequest, WatchStreamRequest} from '../types';
 import {spawn} from "node:child_process";
 import net from 'net';
@@ -138,6 +139,10 @@ export async function openInMPV(req: any, reply: any) {
         );
 
         const pipe = `\\\\.\\pipe\\mpv-${Date.now()}`;
+        const { values } = loadConfig();
+
+        const MPV_PATH =
+            values.paths?.mpv || 'mpv';
 
         let chaptersArg: string[] = [];
         if (chapters.length) {
@@ -178,8 +183,12 @@ export async function openInMPV(req: any, reply: any) {
             chaptersArg = [`--chapters-file=${chaptersFile}`];
         }
 
+        if (!MPV_PATH) {
+            return { error: 'MPV_NOT_CONFIGURED' };
+        }
+
         spawn(
-            'D:\\mpv\\mpv.exe',
+            MPV_PATH,
             [
                 '--force-window=yes',
                 '--idle=yes',
diff --git a/desktop/src/api/local/download.service.ts b/desktop/src/api/local/download.service.ts
index c5f6534..b17d14c 100644
--- a/desktop/src/api/local/download.service.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/api/local/download.service.ts
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@ import fs from 'fs';
 import path from 'path';
 import AdmZip from 'adm-zip';
 import { spawn } from 'child_process';
+const { values } = loadConfig();
 
-const FFMPEG_PATH = 'D:\\ffmpeg\\bin\\ffmpeg.exe';
+const FFMPEG_PATH =
+    values.paths?.ffmpeg || 'ffmpeg';
 
 type AnimeDownloadParams = {
     anilistId: number;
diff --git a/desktop/src/shared/config.js b/desktop/src/shared/config.js
index b207231..1741424 100644
--- a/desktop/src/shared/config.js
+++ b/desktop/src/shared/config.js
@@ -55,18 +55,31 @@ export function getConfig() {
     };
 }
 
+function sanitizeLoadedConfig(loaded) {
+    return {
+        library: loaded.library,
+        paths: loaded.paths
+    };
+}
+
 export function setConfig(partialConfig) {
     ensureConfigFile();
 
-    const current = getConfig();
-    const next = deepMerge(current, partialConfig);
+    const raw = fs.readFileSync(CONFIG_PATH, 'utf8');
+    const loadedRaw = yaml.load(raw) || {};
+    const loaded = sanitizeLoadedConfig(loadedRaw);
 
-    fs.writeFileSync(
-        CONFIG_PATH,
-        yaml.dump(next),
-        'utf8'
+    const next = deepMerge(
+        structuredClone(DEFAULT_CONFIG),
+        deepMerge(loaded, partialConfig)
     );
 
+    const toSave = {
+        library: next.library,
+        paths: next.paths
+    };
+
+    fs.writeFileSync(CONFIG_PATH, yaml.dump(toSave), 'utf8');
     return next;
 }
 
diff --git a/docker/src/api/local/download.service.ts b/docker/src/api/local/download.service.ts
index c5f6534..b17d14c 100644
--- a/docker/src/api/local/download.service.ts
+++ b/docker/src/api/local/download.service.ts
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@ import fs from 'fs';
 import path from 'path';
 import AdmZip from 'adm-zip';
 import { spawn } from 'child_process';
+const { values } = loadConfig();
 
-const FFMPEG_PATH = 'D:\\ffmpeg\\bin\\ffmpeg.exe';
+const FFMPEG_PATH =
+    values.paths?.ffmpeg || 'ffmpeg';
 
 type AnimeDownloadParams = {
     anilistId: number;
diff --git a/docker/src/shared/config.js b/docker/src/shared/config.js
index b207231..1741424 100644
--- a/docker/src/shared/config.js
+++ b/docker/src/shared/config.js
@@ -55,18 +55,31 @@ export function getConfig() {
     };
 }
 
+function sanitizeLoadedConfig(loaded) {
+    return {
+        library: loaded.library,
+        paths: loaded.paths
+    };
+}
+
 export function setConfig(partialConfig) {
     ensureConfigFile();
 
-    const current = getConfig();
-    const next = deepMerge(current, partialConfig);
+    const raw = fs.readFileSync(CONFIG_PATH, 'utf8');
+    const loadedRaw = yaml.load(raw) || {};
+    const loaded = sanitizeLoadedConfig(loadedRaw);
 
-    fs.writeFileSync(
-        CONFIG_PATH,
-        yaml.dump(next),
-        'utf8'
+    const next = deepMerge(
+        structuredClone(DEFAULT_CONFIG),
+        deepMerge(loaded, partialConfig)
     );
 
+    const toSave = {
+        library: next.library,
+        paths: next.paths
+    };
+
+    fs.writeFileSync(CONFIG_PATH, yaml.dump(toSave), 'utf8');
     return next;
 }