diff --git a/lbry/lbry/conf.py b/lbry/lbry/conf.py
index c9fda939f..1339be73e 100644
--- a/lbry/lbry/conf.py
+++ b/lbry/lbry/conf.py
@@ -630,9 +630,13 @@ class Config(CLIConfig):
 
 
 def get_windows_directories() -> typing.Tuple[str, str, str]:
-    from lbry.winpaths import get_path, FOLDERID, UserHandle  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
+    from lbry.winpaths import get_path, FOLDERID, UserHandle, \
+        PathNotFoundException  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
 
-    download_dir = get_path(FOLDERID.Downloads, UserHandle.current)
+    try:
+        download_dir = get_path(FOLDERID.Downloads, UserHandle.current)
+    except PathNotFoundException:
+        download_dir = os.getcwd()
 
     # old
     appdata = get_path(FOLDERID.RoamingAppData, UserHandle.current)
@@ -644,7 +648,6 @@ def get_windows_directories() -> typing.Tuple[str, str, str]:
     # new
     data_dir = user_data_dir('lbrynet', 'lbry')
     lbryum_dir = user_data_dir('lbryum', 'lbry')
-    download_dir = get_path(FOLDERID.Downloads, UserHandle.current)
     return data_dir, lbryum_dir, download_dir