diff --git a/backend/app.js b/backend/app.js
index 607e97c..5038dcc 100644
--- a/backend/app.js
+++ b/backend/app.js
@@ -185,6 +185,9 @@ async function downloadUpdateFiles() {
         fs.removeSync(path.join(__dirname, 'public'));
         fs.mkdirSync(path.join(__dirname, 'public'));
 
+        let replace_ignore_list = ['youtubedl-material/appdata/default.json',
+                                    'youtubedl-material/appdata/db.json']
+
         // downloads new package.json and adds new public dir files from the downloaded zip
         fs.createReadStream(path.join(__dirname, 'youtubedl-material-latest-release.zip')).pipe(unzipper.Parse())
         .on('entry', function (entry) {
@@ -200,7 +203,7 @@ async function downloadUpdateFiles() {
                 } else {
                     entry.autodrain();
                 }
-            } else if (fileName === 'youtubedl-material/package.json') {
+            } else if (!replace_ignore_list.includes(fileName)) {
                 // get package.json
                 entry.pipe(fs.createWriteStream(path.join(__dirname, 'package.json')));
             } else {
@@ -821,7 +824,7 @@ async function autoUpdateYoutubeDL() {
         let current_app_details_path = 'node_modules/youtube-dl/bin/details';
         let current_app_details_exists = fs.existsSync(current_app_details_path);
         if (!current_app_details_exists) {
-            console.log(`Failed to get youtube-dl binary details at location: ${current_app_details_path}. Cancelling update check.`);
+            console.log(`ERROR: Failed to get youtube-dl binary details at location '${current_app_details_path}'. Cancelling update check.`);
             resolve(false);
             return;
         }
@@ -829,9 +832,17 @@ async function autoUpdateYoutubeDL() {
         let current_version = current_app_details['version'];
         let stored_binary_path = current_app_details['path'];
         if (!stored_binary_path || typeof stored_binary_path !== 'string') {
-            console.log(`Failed to get youtube-dl binary path at location: ${current_app_details_path}. Cancelling update check.`);
-            resolve(false);
-            return;
+            // console.log(`INFO: Failed to get youtube-dl binary path at location: ${current_app_details_path}, attempting to guess actual path...`);
+            const guessed_base_path = 'node_modules/youtube-dl/bin/';
+            const guessed_file_path = guessed_base_path + 'youtube-dl' + (process.platform === 'win32' ? '.exe' : '');
+            if (fs.existsSync(guessed_file_path)) {
+                stored_binary_path = guessed_file_path;
+                // console.log('INFO: Guess successful! Update process continuing...')
+            } else {
+                console.log(`ERROR: Guess '${guessed_file_path}' is not correct. Cancelling update check. Verify that your youtube-dl binaries exist by running npm install.`);
+                resolve(false);
+                return;
+            }
         }
 
         // got version, now let's check the latest version from the youtube-dl API