diff --git a/electron-builder.json b/electron-builder.json
index 845f808a..f3cdaf41 100644
--- a/electron-builder.json
+++ b/electron-builder.json
@@ -6,7 +6,12 @@
     "output": "release"
   },
   "asar": true,
-  "asarUnpack": ["dist/backend/**/*", "node_modules/**/*"],
+  "asarUnpack": [
+    "dist/backend/**/*",
+    "node_modules/**/*",
+    "public/icons/**/*",
+    "public/icon.*"
+  ],
   "files": [
     "dist/**/*",
     "electron/**/*",
diff --git a/electron/main.cjs b/electron/main.cjs
index 8813f784..d536bdfd 100644
--- a/electron/main.cjs
+++ b/electron/main.cjs
@@ -709,15 +709,21 @@ function createTray() {
   try {
     const { nativeImage } = require("electron");
 
+    // Native APIs (Tray, nativeImage) can't load files from inside app.asar —
+    // use the unpacked path so the OS sees a real file.
+    const publicRoot = isDev
+      ? path.join(appRoot, "public")
+      : path.join(appRoot.replace("app.asar", "app.asar.unpacked"), "public");
+
     let trayIcon;
     if (process.platform === "darwin") {
-      const iconPath = path.join(appRoot, "public", "icons", "16x16.png");
+      const iconPath = path.join(publicRoot, "icons", "16x16.png");
       trayIcon = nativeImage.createFromPath(iconPath);
       trayIcon.setTemplateImage(true);
     } else if (process.platform === "win32") {
-      trayIcon = path.join(appRoot, "public", "icon.ico");
+      trayIcon = path.join(publicRoot, "icon.ico");
     } else {
-      trayIcon = path.join(appRoot, "public", "icons", "32x32.png");
+      trayIcon = path.join(publicRoot, "icons", "32x32.png");
     }
 
     tray = new Tray(trayIcon);
diff --git a/src/backend/database/database.ts b/src/backend/database/database.ts
index 03140c1f..a0e95ece 100644
--- a/src/backend/database/database.ts
+++ b/src/backend/database/database.ts
@@ -61,9 +61,11 @@ const authenticateJWT = authManager.createAuthMiddleware();
 const requireAdmin = authManager.createAdminMiddleware();
 app.use(createCorsMiddleware());
 
+const uploadsDir = path.join(process.env.DATA_DIR || "./db/data", "uploads");
+
 const storage = multer.diskStorage({
   destination: (req, file, cb) => {
-    cb(null, "uploads/");
+    cb(null, uploadsDir);
   },
   filename: (req, file, cb) => {
     const timestamp = Date.now();
@@ -2018,7 +2020,6 @@ httpServer.on("error", (err: NodeJS.ErrnoException) => {
 });
 
 httpServer.listen(HTTP_PORT, async () => {
-  const uploadsDir = path.join(process.cwd(), "uploads");
   if (!fs.existsSync(uploadsDir)) {
     fs.mkdirSync(uploadsDir, { recursive: true });
   }