diff --git a/ResourceManager.cpp b/ResourceManager.cpp
index 806b3a29..fba87b0d 100644
--- a/ResourceManager.cpp
+++ b/ResourceManager.cpp
@@ -46,11 +46,6 @@ ResourceManager::ResourceManager()
     \*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
     server = new NetworkServer(rgb_controllers_hw);
 
-    /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
-    | Create OpenRGB configuration directory if it doesn't exist                |
-    \*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
-    std::experimental::filesystem::create_directories(GetConfigurationDirectory());
-
     /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
     | Load sizes list from file                                                 |
     \*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -220,6 +215,15 @@ std::string ResourceManager::GetConfigurationDirectory()
     if(config_dir != "")
     {
         config_dir = config_dir + "/OpenRGB/";
+
+        /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+        | Create OpenRGB configuration directory if it doesn't exist                |
+        \*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+        std::experimental::filesystem::create_directories(config_dir);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        config_dir = "./";
     }
 
     return(config_dir);
@@ -355,7 +359,7 @@ void ResourceManager::DetectDevicesThreadFunction()
     | Open device disable list and read in disabled     |
     | device strings                                    |
     \*-------------------------------------------------*/
-    disabled_devices_settings = ResourceManager::get()->GetSettingsManager()->GetSettings("Setting_DisabledDevices");
+    disabled_devices_settings = settings_manager->GetSettings("Setting_DisabledDevices");
 
     if(disabled_devices_settings.contains("disabled"))
     {
diff --git a/SettingsManager.cpp b/SettingsManager.cpp
index 0359989d..45f284a6 100644
--- a/SettingsManager.cpp
+++ b/SettingsManager.cpp
@@ -26,10 +26,22 @@ SettingsManager::~SettingsManager()
 
 json SettingsManager::GetSettings(std::string settings_key)
 {
+    /*---------------------------------------------------------*\
+    | Check to see if the key exists in the settings store and  |
+    | return the settings associated with the key if it exists  |
+    \*---------------------------------------------------------*/
     if(settings_data.contains(settings_key))
     {
         return(settings_data[settings_key]);
     }
+
+    /*---------------------------------------------------------*\
+    | If the settings store doesn't contain the key, create an  |
+    | empty json and return it                                  |
+    \*---------------------------------------------------------*/
+    json empty;
+
+    return(empty);
 }
 
 void SettingsManager::LoadSettings(std::string filename)