diff --git a/forge-gui-android/src/forge/view/Main.java b/forge-gui-android/src/forge/view/Main.java
index 25055ae5c0d..4ff063bb2b0 100644
--- a/forge-gui-android/src/forge/view/Main.java
+++ b/forge-gui-android/src/forge/view/Main.java
@@ -19,6 +19,6 @@ public class Main extends AndroidApplication {
             this.setRequestedOrientation(7);
         }
 
-        initialize(new Forge(getClipboard()), false);
+        initialize(new Forge(getClipboard(), getExternalFilesDir(null).getAbsolutePath()), false);
     }
 }
diff --git a/forge-gui-mobile-dev/src/forge/view/Main.java b/forge-gui-mobile-dev/src/forge/view/Main.java
index 1b7f717ab70..59166433335 100644
--- a/forge-gui-mobile-dev/src/forge/view/Main.java
+++ b/forge-gui-mobile-dev/src/forge/view/Main.java
@@ -7,6 +7,6 @@ import forge.Forge;
 
 public class Main {
     public static void main(String[] args) {
-        new LwjglApplication(new Forge(new LwjglClipboard()), "Forge", 320, 480, true);
+        new LwjglApplication(new Forge(new LwjglClipboard(), "../forge-gui/"), "Forge", 320, 480, true);
     }
 }
diff --git a/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/Forge.java b/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/Forge.java
index cceff8311ac..9eab4d0c6ee 100644
--- a/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/Forge.java
+++ b/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/Forge.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Stack;
 
+import com.badlogic.gdx.Application;
 import com.badlogic.gdx.ApplicationListener;
 import com.badlogic.gdx.Gdx;
 import com.badlogic.gdx.Input.Keys;
@@ -49,13 +50,13 @@ public class Forge implements ApplicationListener {
     private static KeyInputAdapter keyInputAdapter;
     private static final Stack<FScreen> screens = new Stack<FScreen>();
 
-    public Forge(Clipboard clipboard0) {
+    public Forge(Clipboard clipboard0, String assetDir0) {
         if (game != null) {
             throw new RuntimeException("Cannot initialize Forge more than once");
         }
         game = this;
         clipboard = clipboard0;
-        GuiBase.setInterface(new GuiMobile());
+        GuiBase.setInterface(new GuiMobile(assetDir0));
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -211,6 +212,12 @@ public class Forge implements ApplicationListener {
         shapeRenderer.dispose();
     }
 
+    //special utility method to help with debugging
+    public static void debugPrint(String message) {
+        Gdx.app.setLogLevel(Application.LOG_DEBUG);
+        Gdx.app.debug("Forge", message);
+    }
+
     public static void startKeyInput(KeyInputAdapter adapter) {
         if (keyInputAdapter == adapter) { return; }
         if (keyInputAdapter != null) {
diff --git a/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/GuiMobile.java b/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/GuiMobile.java
index 1f3351d19f3..9da6d2b7dc1 100644
--- a/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/GuiMobile.java
+++ b/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/GuiMobile.java
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ import forge.util.WaitRunnable;
 import forge.util.gui.SGuiChoose;
 
 public class GuiMobile implements IGuiBase {
+    private final String assetsDir;
+    public GuiMobile(String assetsDir0) {
+        assetsDir = assetsDir0;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void invokeInEdtLater(Runnable proc) {
         Gdx.app.postRunnable(proc);
@@ -78,10 +83,7 @@ public class GuiMobile implements IGuiBase {
 
     @Override
     public String getAssetsDir() {
-        if (Gdx.app.getType() == ApplicationType.Desktop) {
-            return "../forge-gui/";
-        }
-        return Gdx.files.getLocalStoragePath();
+        return assetsDir;
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/screens/SplashScreen.java b/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/screens/SplashScreen.java
index ef37e8bd19e..4519b26e22c 100644
--- a/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/screens/SplashScreen.java
+++ b/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/screens/SplashScreen.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import com.badlogic.gdx.Gdx;
 import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d.TextureRegion;
 import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d.BitmapFont.HAlignment;
 
+import forge.Forge;
 import forge.Forge.Graphics;
 import forge.assets.FSkin;
 import forge.assets.FSkinFont;
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ public class SplashScreen extends FContainer {
 
         String versionStr = BuildInfo.getVersionString();
         File versionFile = new File(ForgeConstants.ASSETS_DIR + "version.txt");
+        Forge.debugPrint("Version file: " + versionFile);
         if (!versionFile.exists()) {
             try {
                 versionFile.createNewFile();