diff --git a/constants.py b/constants.py
index def45109..745a7ede 100644
--- a/constants.py
+++ b/constants.py
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@
     # The Lib folder is also spelled in lowercase: 'lib'
     version_info = sys.version_info
     SYS_SITE_PACKAGES = f"lib/python{version_info.major}.{version_info.minor}/site-packages"
+# scripts venv path changes depending on the system platform
+if sys.platform == "win32":
+    SYS_SCRIPTS = "Scripts"
+else:
+    SYS_SCRIPTS = "bin"
 
 
 def _resource_path(relative_path: Path | str) -> Path:
@@ -90,6 +95,7 @@ def _merge_vars(base_vars: JsonType, vars: JsonType) -> None:
 # Development paths
 VENV_PATH = Path(WORKING_DIR, "env")
 SITE_PACKAGES_PATH = Path(VENV_PATH, SYS_SITE_PACKAGES)
+SCRIPTS_PATH = Path(VENV_PATH, SYS_SCRIPTS)
 # Translations path
 # NOTE: These don't have to be available to the end-user, so the path points to the internal dir
 LANG_PATH = _resource_path("lang")
diff --git a/gui.py b/gui.py
index 856f8f9f..bdae6c64 100644
--- a/gui.py
+++ b/gui.py
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 from utils import resource_path, set_root_icon, webopen, Game, _T
 from constants import (
     SELF_PATH,
+    IS_PACKAGED,
+    SCRIPTS_PATH,
     WINDOW_TITLE,
     LOGGING_LEVELS,
     MAX_WEBSOCKETS,
@@ -1742,7 +1744,7 @@ def _get_self_path(self) -> str:
         return f'"{SELF_PATH.resolve()!s}"'
 
     def _get_autostart_path(self) -> str:
-        flags: list[str] = ['']  # this will add a space between self path and flags
+        flags: list[str] = []
         # if applicable, include the current logging level as well
         for lvl_idx, lvl_value in LOGGING_LEVELS.items():
             if lvl_value == self._settings.logging_level:
@@ -1751,7 +1753,10 @@ def _get_autostart_path(self) -> str:
                 break
         if self._vars["tray"].get():
             flags.append("--tray")
-        return self._get_self_path() + ' '.join(flags)
+        if not IS_PACKAGED:
+            # non-packaged autostart has to be done through the venv path pythonw
+            return f"\"{SCRIPTS_PATH / 'pythonw'!s}\" {self._get_self_path()} {' '.join(flags)}"
+        return f"{self._get_self_path()} {' '.join(flags)}"
 
     def _get_linux_autostart_filepath(self) -> Path:
         autostart_folder: Path = Path("~/.config/autostart").expanduser()
@@ -2407,11 +2412,12 @@ async def main(exit_event: asyncio.Event):
                 tray=False,
                 priority=[],
                 proxy=URL(),
+                alter=lambda: None,
                 language="English",
                 autostart_tray=False,
                 exclude={"Lit Game"},
                 tray_notifications=True,
-                alter=lambda: None,
+                logging_level=LOGGING_LEVELS[0],
                 priority_mode=PriorityMode.PRIORITY_ONLY,
             )
         )