diff --git a/BankingPersistence/src/jvmMain/kotlin/net/codinux/banking/persistence/BankingRepository.jvm.kt b/BankingPersistence/src/jvmMain/kotlin/net/codinux/banking/persistence/BankingRepository.jvm.kt
index f2d5d80..14f5458 100644
--- a/BankingPersistence/src/jvmMain/kotlin/net/codinux/banking/persistence/BankingRepository.jvm.kt
+++ b/BankingPersistence/src/jvmMain/kotlin/net/codinux/banking/persistence/BankingRepository.jvm.kt
@@ -7,16 +7,34 @@ import app.cash.sqldelight.db.SqlSchema
 import app.cash.sqldelight.driver.jdbc.sqlite.JdbcSqliteDriver
 import java.io.File
 
-actual fun createSqlDriverDriver(dbName: String, schema: SqlSchema<QueryResult.AsyncValue<Unit>>, version: Long): SqlDriver {
-    val dbDir = File("data/db").also { it.mkdirs() }
 
-    return JdbcSqliteDriver("jdbc:sqlite:data/db/$dbName").also { driver ->
+val dataDirectory: File = determineDataDirectory()
+
+actual fun createSqlDriverDriver(dbName: String, schema: SqlSchema<QueryResult.AsyncValue<Unit>>, version: Long): SqlDriver {
+    val dbDir = File(dataDirectory, "db").also { it.mkdirs() }
+    val databaseFile = File(dbDir, dbName)
+
+    return JdbcSqliteDriver("jdbc:sqlite:${databaseFile.path}").also { driver ->
         schema.synchronous().also { schema ->
-            if (File(dbDir, dbName).exists() == false) {
+            if (databaseFile.exists() == false) {
                 schema.create(driver)
             }
 
             schema.migrate(driver, schema.version, version)
         }
     }
+}
+
+
+private fun determineDataDirectory(): File {
+    val currentDir = File(System.getProperty("user.dir"))
+
+    val dataDir = if (currentDir.canWrite()) { // if the current directory is writable, use that one (the default for development)
+        File(currentDir, "data")
+    } else { // otherwise use .bankmeister dir in user's home dir (the default for releases)
+        val userHome = System.getProperty("user.home")
+        File(userHome, ".bankmeister")
+    }
+
+    return dataDir.also { it.mkdirs() }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/composeApp/src/desktopMain/kotlin/net/codinux/banking/ui/main.kt b/composeApp/src/desktopMain/kotlin/net/codinux/banking/ui/main.kt
index c7f34ff..8a4b505 100644
--- a/composeApp/src/desktopMain/kotlin/net/codinux/banking/ui/main.kt
+++ b/composeApp/src/desktopMain/kotlin/net/codinux/banking/ui/main.kt
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import kotlinx.datetime.LocalDate
 import net.codinux.banking.client.model.AccountTransaction
 import net.codinux.banking.client.model.Amount
 import net.codinux.banking.persistence.InMemoryBankingRepository
-import net.codinux.banking.persistence.SqliteBankingRepository
 import net.codinux.banking.ui.config.DI
 import org.jetbrains.compose.resources.painterResource
 
diff --git a/composeApp/src/desktopMain/kotlin/net/codinux/banking/ui/service/ImageService.desktop.kt b/composeApp/src/desktopMain/kotlin/net/codinux/banking/ui/service/ImageService.desktop.kt
index 52b0434..339ecba 100644
--- a/composeApp/src/desktopMain/kotlin/net/codinux/banking/ui/service/ImageService.desktop.kt
+++ b/composeApp/src/desktopMain/kotlin/net/codinux/banking/ui/service/ImageService.desktop.kt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package net.codinux.banking.ui.service
 
 import androidx.compose.ui.graphics.ImageBitmap
 import androidx.compose.ui.graphics.toComposeImageBitmap
+import net.codinux.banking.persistence.dataDirectory
 import net.codinux.log.Log
 import org.jetbrains.skia.Image
 import java.io.File
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ import java.net.URL
 import java.security.MessageDigest
 
 
-private val cacheDir = File("data/imageCache").also { it.mkdirs() }
+private val cacheDir = File(dataDirectory, "imageCache").also { it.mkdirs() }
 
 private val messageDigest = MessageDigest.getInstance("SHA-256")