diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js
index ec6038f781..d080d22448 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js
@@ -300,6 +300,9 @@ Zotero.DataDirectory = {
 								// access the custom location in Firefox, use the Zotero profile, since
 								// there's at least some chance it's right. Otherwise, throw an error.
 								if (!useProfile) {
+									// The error message normally gets the path from the pref, but
+									// we got it from the prefs file, so include it here
+									e.dataDir = nsIFile.path;
 									throw e;
 								}
 							}
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js
index 7057ddcb21..47ca034e35 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js
@@ -313,7 +313,9 @@ Services.scriptloader.loadSubScript("resource://zotero/polyfill.js");
 					Zotero.logError(e);
 				}
 				
-				let previousDir = Zotero.Prefs.get('lastDataDir') || Zotero.Prefs.get('dataDir');
+				let previousDir = Zotero.Prefs.get('lastDataDir')
+					|| Zotero.Prefs.get('dataDir')
+					|| e.dataDir;
 				Zotero.startupError = foundInDefault
 					? Zotero.getString(
 						'dataDir.notFound.defaultFound',
@@ -357,8 +359,10 @@ Services.scriptloader.loadSubScript("resource://zotero/polyfill.js");
 					else {
 						let index = ps.confirmEx(null,
 							Zotero.getString('general.error'),
-							Zotero.startupError + '\n\n' +
-							Zotero.getString('dataDir.previousDir') + ' ' + previousDir,
+							Zotero.startupError
+								+ (previousDir
+									? '\n\n' + Zotero.getString('dataDir.previousDir') + ' ' + previousDir
+									: ''),
 							buttonFlags,
 							Zotero.getString('general.quit'),
 							Zotero.getString('dataDir.useDefaultLocation'),