diff --git a/src/ui/GameWorldView.cpp b/src/ui/GameWorldView.cpp
index 8020246..0849a03 100644
--- a/src/ui/GameWorldView.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/GameWorldView.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <string>
 
 #include <QColor>
+#include <QCoreApplication>
 #include <QCursor>
 #include <QDir>
 #include <QFont>
@@ -162,13 +163,15 @@ GameWorldView::GameWorldView(Simulation* sim, const GameConfig* config,
     }
     else
     {
-        // Record every run to disk. Replays live under <data>/replays, alongside
-        // the config dir that was loaded. Attaching the recorder opens the first
-        // file and writes the header for the initial run.
-        QDir replayDir(QString::fromStdString(configDir));
-        replayDir.cdUp();
+        // Record every run to disk, into a "replays" folder next to the executable.
+        // Uses the exe's real directory rather than traversing up from the config
+        // dir: with a symlinked build layout, relative traversal would resolve into
+        // the wrong tree. Attaching the recorder opens the first file and writes the
+        // header for the initial run.
+        const QString replayDir =
+            QDir(QCoreApplication::applicationDirPath()).filePath("replays");
         m_commandManager.setRecorder(std::make_unique<ReplayRecorder>(
-            configDir, replayDir.filePath("replays").toStdString()));
+            configDir, replayDir.toStdString()));
     }
 }