diff --git a/engine/common/filesystem_engine.c b/engine/common/filesystem_engine.c
index 9bb729adc..71c9c468a 100644
--- a/engine/common/filesystem_engine.c
+++ b/engine/common/filesystem_engine.c
@@ -186,15 +186,20 @@ static qboolean FS_DetermineRootDirectory( char *out, size_t size )
 	Sys_Error( "couldn't find %s data directory", XASH_ENGINE_NAME );
 	return false;
 #elif ( XASH_SDL == 2 ) && !XASH_NSWITCH // GetBasePath not impl'd in switch-sdl2
-#if XASH_APPLE
-	path = SDL_GetPrefPath( NULL, XASH_ENGINE_NAME );
-#else
 	path = SDL_GetBasePath();
+
+#if XASH_APPLE
+	if( path != NULL && Q_stristr( path, ".app" ))
+	{
+		SDL_free((void *)path );
+		path = SDL_GetPrefPath( NULL, XASH_ENGINE_NAME );
+	}
 #endif
+
 	if( path != NULL )
 	{
 		Q_strncpy( out, path, size );
-		SDL_free(( void *)path );
+		SDL_free((void *)path );
 		return true;
 	}