diff --git a/MultiMC.cpp b/MultiMC.cpp
index 4e06f558..619a7e0a 100644
--- a/MultiMC.cpp
+++ b/MultiMC.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 
 using namespace Util::Commandline;
 
-MultiMC::MultiMC(int &argc, char **argv, const QString &root)
+MultiMC::MultiMC(int &argc, char **argv, const QString &data_dir_override)
 	: QApplication(argc, argv), m_version{VERSION_MAJOR,   VERSION_MINOR,	 VERSION_BUILD,
 										  VERSION_CHANNEL, VERSION_BUILD_TYPE}
 {
@@ -60,10 +60,6 @@ MultiMC::MultiMC(int &argc, char **argv, const QString &root)
 	// Don't quit on hiding the last window
 	this->setQuitOnLastWindowClosed(false);
 
-	// Print app header
-	std::cout << "MultiMC 5" << std::endl;
-	std::cout << "(c) 2013 MultiMC Contributors" << std::endl << std::endl;
-
 	// Commandline parsing
 	QHash<QString, QVariant> args;
 	{
@@ -82,16 +78,6 @@ MultiMC::MultiMC(int &argc, char **argv, const QString &root)
 		parser.addShortOpt("dir", 'd');
 		parser.addDocumentation("dir", "use the supplied directory as MultiMC root instead of "
 									   "the binary location (use '.' for current)");
-		// --update
-		parser.addOption("update");
-		parser.addShortOpt("update", 'u');
-		parser.addDocumentation("update", "replaces the given file with the running executable",
-								"<path>");
-		// --quietupdate
-		parser.addSwitch("quietupdate");
-		parser.addShortOpt("quietupdate", 'U');
-		parser.addDocumentation("quietupdate",
-								"doesn't restart MultiMC after installing updates");
 		// WARNING: disabled until further notice
 		/*
 		// --launch
@@ -129,35 +115,67 @@ MultiMC::MultiMC(int &argc, char **argv, const QString &root)
 			m_status = MultiMC::Succeeded;
 			return;
 		}
-
-		// update
-		// Note: cwd is always the current executable path!
-		if (!args["update"].isNull())
-		{
-			std::cout << "Performing MultiMC update: " << qPrintable(args["update"].toString())
-					  << std::endl;
-			QString cwd = QDir::currentPath();
-			QDir::setCurrent(applicationDirPath());
-			QFile file(applicationFilePath());
-			file.copy(args["update"].toString());
-			if (args["quietupdate"].toBool())
-			{
-				m_status = MultiMC::Succeeded;
-				return;
-			}
-			QDir::setCurrent(cwd);
-		}
+	}
+	origcwdPath = QDir::currentPath();
+	binPath = applicationDirPath();
+	QString adjustedBy;
+	// change directory
+	QString dirParam = args["dir"].toString();
+	if (!data_dir_override.isEmpty())
+	{
+		// the override is used for tests (although dirparam would be enough...)
+		// TODO: remove the need for this extra logic
+		adjustedBy += "Test override " + data_dir_override;
+		dataPath = data_dir_override;
+	}
+	else if (!dirParam.isEmpty())
+	{
+		// the dir param. it makes multimc data path point to whatever the user specified
+		// on command line
+		adjustedBy += "Command line " + dirParam;
+		dataPath = dirParam;
+	}
+	if(!ensureFolderPathExists(dataPath) || !QDir::setCurrent(dataPath))
+	{
+		// BAD STUFF. WHAT DO?
+		initLogger();
+		QLOG_ERROR() << "Failed to set work path. Will exit. NOW.";
+		m_status = MultiMC::Failed;
+		return;
 	}
 
-	// change directory
-	QDir::setCurrent(
-		args["dir"].toString().isEmpty()
-			? (root.isEmpty() ? QDir::currentPath() : QDir::current().absoluteFilePath(root))
-			: args["dir"].toString());
+	{
+	#ifdef Q_OS_LINUX
+		QDir foo(PathCombine(binPath, ".."));
+		rootPath = foo.absolutePath();
+	#elif defined(Q_OS_WIN32)
+		QDir foo(PathCombine(binPath, ".."));
+		rootPath = foo.absolutePath();
+	#elif defined(Q_OS_MAC)
+		QDir foo(PathCombine(binPath, "../.."));
+		rootPath = foo.absolutePath();
+	#endif
+	}
 
 	// init the logger
 	initLogger();
 
+	QLOG_INFO() << "MultiMC 5, (c) 2013 MultiMC Contributors";
+	QLOG_INFO() << "Version                    : " << VERSION_STR;
+	QLOG_INFO() << "Git commit                 : " << GIT_COMMIT;
+	if (adjustedBy.size())
+	{
+		QLOG_INFO() << "Work dir before adjustment : " << origcwdPath;
+		QLOG_INFO() << "Work dir after adjustment  : " << QDir::currentPath();
+		QLOG_INFO() << "Adjusted by                : " << adjustedBy;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		QLOG_INFO() << "Work dir                   : " << QDir::currentPath();
+	}
+	QLOG_INFO() << "Binary path                : " << binPath;
+	QLOG_INFO() << "Application root path      : " << rootPath;
+
 	// load settings
 	initGlobalSettings();
 
@@ -319,7 +337,7 @@ void MultiMC::initLogger()
 	QsLogging::Logger &logger = QsLogging::Logger::instance();
 	logger.setLoggingLevel(QsLogging::TraceLevel);
 	m_fileDestination = QsLogging::DestinationFactory::MakeFileDestination(logBase.arg(0));
-	m_debugDestination = QsLogging::DestinationFactory::MakeQDebugDestination();
+	m_debugDestination = QsLogging::DestinationFactory::MakeDebugOutputDestination();
 	logger.addDestination(m_fileDestination.get());
 	logger.addDestination(m_debugDestination.get());
 	// log all the things
diff --git a/MultiMC.h b/MultiMC.h
index 9ad276ff..91731afa 100644
--- a/MultiMC.h
+++ b/MultiMC.h
@@ -125,6 +125,29 @@ public:
 	 */
 	bool openJsonEditor(const QString &filename);
 
+	/// this is the root of the 'installation'. Used for automatic updates
+	const QString &root()
+	{
+		return rootPath;
+	}
+	/// this is the where the binary files reside
+	const QString &bin()
+	{
+		return binPath;
+	}
+	/// this is the work/data path. All user data is here.
+	const QString &data()
+	{
+		return dataPath;
+	}
+	/**
+	 * this is the original work path before it was changed by the adjustment mechanism
+	 */
+	const QString &origcwd()
+	{
+		return origcwdPath;
+	}
+
 private:
 	void initLogger();
 
@@ -157,6 +180,11 @@ private:
 
 	QString m_updateOnExitPath;
 
+	QString rootPath;
+	QString binPath;
+	QString dataPath;
+	QString origcwdPath;
+
 	Status m_status = MultiMC::Failed;
 	MultiMCVersion m_version;
 };
diff --git a/tests/TestUtil.h b/tests/TestUtil.h
index fd25d24f..231ce7f6 100644
--- a/tests/TestUtil.h
+++ b/tests/TestUtil.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) \
 { \
 	char *argv_[] = { argv[0] _MMC_EXTRA_ARGV }; \
 	int argc_ = 1 + _MMC_EXTRA_ARGC; \
-	MultiMC app(argc_, argv_, QDir::temp().absoluteFilePath("MultiMC_Test")); \
+	MultiMC app(argc_, argv_/*, QDir::temp().absoluteFilePath("MultiMC_Test")*/); \
 	app.setAttribute(Qt::AA_Use96Dpi, true); \
 	TestObject tc; \
 	return QTest::qExec(&tc, argc, argv); \