diff --git a/files/translations/en-us.json b/files/translations/en-us.json
index f3648ff..fae2169 100644
--- a/files/translations/en-us.json
+++ b/files/translations/en-us.json
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
     "import.prefix.title": "Import from prefix",
     "import.prefix.hint": "Pick the wine prefix the app lives in. Nothing is copied, the app is launched from the prefix, so Windows paths keep working (C:\\...).",
     "import.pickPrefixFolder": "Choose the app folder inside the prefix",
-    "import.prefix.outside": "the selected folder is outside the prefix's C: drive (drive_c or pfx/drive_c)",
+    "import.prefix.outside": "the selected folder is outside the prefix's drive_c",
     "import.prefix.noDriveC": "this prefix has no drive_c yet, run any app in it so wine creates one",
     "import.pickFolder": "Choose the app folder",
     "import.progress": "Importing {0}…",
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@
     "import.done": "Import finished",
     "import.failed": "Import failed: {0}",
     "import.noExe": "no .exe file found in the selected folder",
-    "import.prefixRoot": "this folder is a wine prefix (or its C: drive) - import an app from inside its drive_c instead",
     "config.title": "App configuration",
     "config.icon.auto": "Extract from exe",
     "config.icon.browse": "Choose image",
diff --git a/files/translations/pl.json b/files/translations/pl.json
index e00eae0..0decbf4 100644
--- a/files/translations/pl.json
+++ b/files/translations/pl.json
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
     "import.prefix.title": "Import z prefiksu",
     "import.prefix.hint": "Wybierz prefiks wine, w którym jest aplikacja. Nic nie jest kopiowane, aplikacja odpalana jest z prefiksu, więc ścieżki windowsowe (C:\\...) dalej działają.",
     "import.pickPrefixFolder": "Wybierz folder aplikacji wewnątrz prefiksu",
-    "import.prefix.outside": "wybrany folder jest poza dyskiem C: prefiksu (drive_c lub pfx/drive_c)",
+    "import.prefix.outside": "wybrany folder jest poza drive_c prefiksu",
     "import.prefix.noDriveC": "ten prefiks nie ma jeszcze drive_c, uruchom w nim dowolną apkę, żeby wine go utworzył",
     "import.pickFolder": "Wybierz folder aplikacji",
     "import.progress": "Importowanie {0}…",
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@
     "import.done": "Import zakończony",
     "import.failed": "Import nie powiódł się: {0}",
     "import.noExe": "nie znaleziono pliku .exe w wybranym folderze",
-    "import.prefixRoot": "ten folder to prefiks wine (lub jego dysk C:) - zaimportuj aplikację z wnętrza jego drive_c",
     "config.title": "Konfiguracja aplikacji",
     "config.icon.auto": "Wyciągnij z exe",
     "config.icon.browse": "Wybierz obrazek",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 77ac71b..67a274d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "PLWL",
   "productName": "PLWL",
-  "version": "0.3.1",
+  "version": "0.3.0",
   "description": "Portable Linux Wine Launcher",
   "main": "src/main.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/renderer/app.js b/renderer/app.js
index 5e4888b..fc18481 100644
--- a/renderer/app.js
+++ b/renderer/app.js
@@ -783,10 +783,7 @@ async function doImport(srcDir, mode) {
     closeModal()
     if (!game || game.ok === false) {
       const raw = (game && game.error) || ''
-      const errText =
-        raw === 'no-exe-found' ? t('import.noExe')
-        : raw === 'prefix-root' ? t('import.prefixRoot')
-        : (raw || 'unknown error')
+      const errText = raw === 'no-exe-found' ? t('import.noExe') : (raw || 'unknown error')
       toast(t('import.failed', errText), 'error')
       return
     }
@@ -926,8 +923,7 @@ async function doPrefixImport(prefix, srcDir) {
       const errText =
         raw === 'no-exe-found' ? t('import.noExe')
         : raw === 'no-drive-c' ? t('import.prefix.noDriveC')
-        : raw === 'outside-drive-c' ? t('import.prefix.outside')
-        : (raw || 'unknown error')
+        : t('import.prefix.outside')
       toast(t('import.failed', errText), 'error')
       return
     }
diff --git a/src/importer.js b/src/importer.js
index 78cba15..1fb015b 100644
--- a/src/importer.js
+++ b/src/importer.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const path = require('path')
 const { DIRS, resolvePortablePath } = require('./paths')
 const { newGame, newGameId, addGame } = require('./library')
 const { extractIconFromExe } = require('./icons')
-const { listPrefixes, prefixDriveRoots, isPrefixRoot } = require('./prefixes')
+const { listPrefixes, prefixDriveRoot } = require('./prefixes')
 const { rewireSymlinks } = require('./symlinks')
 const { copyTree, treeSize } = require('./fsutil')
 
@@ -22,9 +22,6 @@ function moveFolder(src, dst, onProgress) {
 }
 
 async function importGame(srcDir, mode, onProgress) {
-  // a prefix (or its drive_c / pfx) is not an app folder: copy/move would take
-  // the prefix's C: drive with it and leave the prefix gutted
-  if (isPrefixRoot(srcDir)) return { ok: false, error: 'prefix-root' }
   const name = path.basename(srcDir)
   // Validate before touching the user's files: refuse an import without any
   // .exe (and don't half-move a folder we'd then have to roll back).
@@ -74,23 +71,17 @@ async function importGame(srcDir, mode, onProgress) {
 // normally into C:\...
 async function importGameFromPrefix(prefix, srcDir, onProgress) {
   if (!listPrefixes().prefixes.some(p => p.name === prefix)) return { ok: false, error: 'prefix-not-found' }
-  // The folder must live inside one of the prefix's C: drives so the C:\
-  // mapping holds - drive_c sits at the prefix top for plain wine, under pfx/
-  // for Proton-managed prefixes, and a prefix used with BOTH kinds has both.
-  // Every existing drive_c counts; the stored path keeps its drive_c segment
-  // either way, so it resolves in the layout the app will run in.
-  const driveRoots = prefixDriveRoots(prefix)
-  if (!driveRoots.length) return { ok: false, error: 'no-drive-c' }
-  const src = path.resolve(String(srcDir))
-  const insideDrive = driveRoots.some(root => {
-    const rel = path.relative(root, src)
-    return rel && !rel.startsWith('..') && !path.isAbsolute(rel)
-  })
-  if (!insideDrive) return { ok: false, error: 'outside-drive-c' }
-  const preExe = await findDefaultExe(src)
+  // the folder must live inside the prefix's C: drive so the C:\ mapping
+  // holds - drive_c sits at the prefix top for plain wine, under pfx/ for
+  // Proton-managed prefixes
+  const driveRoot = prefixDriveRoot(prefix)
+  if (!driveRoot) return { ok: false, error: 'no-drive-c' }
+  const rel = path.relative(driveRoot, srcDir)
+  if (!rel || rel.startsWith('..') || path.isAbsolute(rel)) return { ok: false, error: 'outside-drive-c' }
+  const preExe = await findDefaultExe(srcDir)
   if (!preExe) return { ok: false, error: 'no-exe-found' }
   const id = newGameId()
-  const game = newGame({ id, name: path.basename(src), exePath: preExe, workdir: src, mode: 'prefix' })
+  const game = newGame({ id, name: path.basename(srcDir), exePath: preExe, workdir: srcDir, mode: 'prefix' })
   game.importSource = 'prefix'
   game.prefix = prefix
   // exe picked automatically -> grab its icon right away; a missing icon is
diff --git a/src/ipc/index.js b/src/ipc/index.js
index 207d49f..03b23a4 100644
--- a/src/ipc/index.js
+++ b/src/ipc/index.js
@@ -260,14 +260,11 @@ function registerIpc({ getWindow, onGamesChanged }) {
   // shows up for wine as a regular C:\ install
   ipcMain.handle('games:pickPrefixFolder', async (e, prefix) => {
     // open the picker straight in the prefix's C: drive (plain wine: top
-    // level, Proton: under pfx/); a prefix used with BOTH kinds has two of
-    // them, so it opens at the prefix folder - the only spot that keeps
-    // drive_c and pfx/drive_c one click away
-    const driveRoots = prefixes.prefixDriveRoots(prefix)
-    const start = driveRoots.length === 1 ? driveRoots[0] : prefixes.prefixPath(prefix)
+    // level, Proton: under pfx/)
+    const driveC = prefixes.prefixDriveRoot(prefix)
     const res = await dialog.showOpenDialog(getWindow(), {
       title: i18n.translate(library.loadSettings().language, 'import.pickPrefixFolder'),
-      defaultPath: start,
+      defaultPath: driveC || prefixes.prefixPath(prefix),
       properties: ['openDirectory']
     })
     return res.canceled || !res.filePaths[0] ? null : res.filePaths[0]
diff --git a/src/prefixes.js b/src/prefixes.js
index 1a7b237..81befde 100644
--- a/src/prefixes.js
+++ b/src/prefixes.js
@@ -41,39 +41,22 @@ function prefixExists(name) {
   }
 }
 
-// Every Windows C: drive a prefix has: plain wine keeps one at the top
-// (WINEPREFIX=<prefix>), Proton-managed prefixes nest one under pfx/
-// (WINEPREFIX=<prefix>/pfx). A prefix used with BOTH wine kinds has both,
-// and an import may come from either one - so callers that can accept
-// several get them all, top level first.
-function prefixDriveRoots(name) {
+// Where the Windows C: drive of a prefix actually lives: plain wine keeps
+// it at the top (WINEPREFIX=<prefix>), Proton-managed prefixes nest it
+// under pfx/ (WINEPREFIX=<prefix>/pfx). system.reg marks the real prefix
+// root; a fresh prefix may not have it yet, so fall back to drive_c itself.
+function prefixDriveRoot(name) {
   const root = prefixPath(name)
-  const found = []
-  for (const base of [root, path.join(root, 'pfx')]) {
-    try {
-      const driveC = path.join(base, 'drive_c')
-      if (fs.statSync(driveC).isDirectory()) found.push(driveC)
-    } catch {}
+  for (const pass of [true, false]) {
+    for (const base of [root, path.join(root, 'pfx')]) {
+      try {
+        const driveC = path.join(base, 'drive_c')
+        if (!fs.statSync(driveC).isDirectory()) continue
+        if (!pass || fs.existsSync(path.join(base, 'system.reg'))) return driveC
+      } catch {}
+    }
   }
-  return found
-}
-
-// True when a path IS one of a prefix's own roots: the prefix folder, its
-// pfx/ or either drive_c. A copy/move import of such a folder would move the
-// prefix's C: drive (or the whole prefix) into files/apps, gutting it - the
-// "import from a prefix" flow is the one that works in place. Both drive
-// layouts are checked literally, not through prefixDriveRoots(): a prefix used
-// with wine AND Proton has a drive_c each and BOTH are off limits.
-function isPrefixRoot(p) {
-  if (!p) return false
-  const abs = path.resolve(String(p))
-  if (path.resolve(DIRS.PREFIXES) === abs) return true
-  for (const entry of listPrefixes().prefixes) {
-    const root = prefixPath(entry.name)
-    if (abs === root || abs === path.join(root, 'pfx')) return true
-    if (abs === path.join(root, 'drive_c') || abs === path.join(root, 'pfx', 'drive_c')) return true
-  }
-  return false
+  return null
 }
 
 function createPrefix(name) {
@@ -153,4 +136,4 @@ function setDefaultPrefix(name) {
   return { ok: true }
 }
 
-module.exports = { listPrefixes, savePrefixes, createPrefix, deletePrefix, renamePrefix, setDefaultPrefix, prefixPath, prefixExists, prefixDriveRoots, isPrefixRoot, healPrefix, MAIN }
+module.exports = { listPrefixes, savePrefixes, createPrefix, deletePrefix, renamePrefix, setDefaultPrefix, prefixPath, prefixExists, prefixDriveRoot, healPrefix, MAIN }
diff --git a/src/runner.js b/src/runner.js
index 635febc..c27a827 100644
--- a/src/runner.js
+++ b/src/runner.js
@@ -95,13 +95,8 @@ function buildEnv({ game, wine }) {
     env.PROTON_LOG_DIR = path.join(DIRS.DATA, 'logs')
     fs.mkdirSync(env.PROTON_LOG_DIR, { recursive: true })
     linkPrefix(env.STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH, prefixDir)
-    // No silent fallback to a real directory: Proton would then set its prefix
-    // up under files/data/compat/<id>/pfx, outside files/wineprefixes/ where
-    // PLWL tracks it - rename, delete, the in-use guards and the LAN sync all
-    // look at the launcher prefix, so its C: drive would be orphaned. Only a
-    // missing path is refused; a populated one is linkPrefix's deliberate case.
     if (!fs.existsSync(env.STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH)) {
-      throw new Error('prefix-link-failed')
+      fs.mkdirSync(env.STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH, { recursive: true })
     }
   } else {
     // plain wine (system or imported build)