diff --git a/dzgui/app_init.py b/dzgui/app_init.py
index 078f1f3..3ed89d2 100644
--- a/dzgui/app_init.py
+++ b/dzgui/app_init.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import logging
 import os
+import shutil
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
 
-from dzgui.const.constants import APP_NAME
+from dzgui.const.constants import APP_NAME, APP_NAME_LOWER
 from dzgui.const.enum import Preferences
 from dzgui.config.query import lookup
 from dzgui.config.userprefs import UserPrefs
@@ -50,6 +51,46 @@ def setup_logger(log_path: "Path") -> None:
     logger.addHandler(fh)
 
 
+def copy_bare_configs(config: "Path", resolution: "Path") -> tuple[bool, bool]:
+    # NOTE: temporary workaround for #375
+    conf = "config.json"
+    state = [
+        "dzg.history",
+        "dzg.versions",
+        "dzg.res.json",
+        "dzg.filters.json",
+        "dzg.columns.json",
+        "dzg.notes.json",
+        "ips.csv",
+        ".month",
+    ]
+    config_changed = False
+    state_changed = False
+    if config.parent.exists() is False:
+        new_file = config
+        old_file = config.parent.parent / conf
+        if old_file.is_file():
+            try:
+                make_parents(new_file)
+                shutil.copy(old_file, new_file)
+                config_changed = True
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.critical(e)
+    if resolution.parent.exists() is False:
+        state_path = resolution.parent
+        for state_file in state:
+            old_file = state_path.parent / state_file
+            if old_file.is_file():
+                try:
+                    new_file = state_path / state_file
+                    make_parents(new_file)
+                    shutil.copy(old_file, new_file)
+                    state_changed = True
+                except Exception as e:
+                    logger.critical(e)
+    return (config_changed, state_changed)
+
+
 def load_gui(version: str, is_debug: bool) -> None:
     lock = lock_acquire()  # noqa
 
@@ -58,6 +99,8 @@ def load_gui(version: str, is_debug: bool) -> None:
     xdg_paths = get_xdg_paths()
     XDG = parse_filepaths(xdg_paths)
 
+    copy_bare_configs(XDG.config, XDG.resolution)
+
     if XDG.resolution.parent.is_dir() is False:
         make_parents(XDG.resolution)
 
diff --git a/dzgui/config/xdg.py b/dzgui/config/xdg.py
index 2748c8f..5b78423 100644
--- a/dzgui/config/xdg.py
+++ b/dzgui/config/xdg.py
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ def is_writeable(path_str: str) -> bool:
     if not path.exists():
         try:
             path.mkdir(parents=True)
+            path.unlink()
         except OSError:
             return False
-        path.unlink()
         return True
 
     try:
@@ -55,11 +55,12 @@ def get_xdg_paths() -> dict:
 
     resolved_paths = {}
     for path in xdg_paths:
-        rp = os.environ.get(path)
-        if rp is not None and is_writeable(rp):
-            resolved_paths[path] = Path(rp)
+        real_path = os.environ.get(path)
+        if real_path is not None and is_writeable(real_path):
+            new_path = Path(real_path)
         else:
-            resolved_paths[path] = xdg_paths[path] / APP_NAME_LOWER
+            new_path = xdg_paths[path]
+        resolved_paths[path] = new_path / APP_NAME_LOWER
     return resolved_paths
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_bare_conf_files.py b/tests/test_bare_conf_files.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9235390
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_bare_conf_files.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+import pytest
+import tempfile
+import os
+
+from dzgui.app_init import copy_bare_configs
+from dzgui.config.xdg import get_xdg_paths, parse_filepaths
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+CONF_STRING = "DZGUI_CONF\n"
+STATE_STRING = "DZGUI_STATE\n"
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def state_files():
+    state = [
+        "dzg.history",
+        "dzg.versions",
+        "dzg.res.json",
+        "dzg.filters.json",
+        "dzg.columns.json",
+        "dzg.notes.json",
+        "ips.csv",
+        ".month",
+    ]
+    return state
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def xdg_paths():
+    paths = []
+    routes = {
+        "XDG_CONFIG_HOME": "",
+        "XDG_STATE_HOME": "",
+        "XDG_DATA_HOME": "",
+        "XDG_CACHE_HOME": "",
+    }
+    for route in routes:
+        tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(delete=False)
+        routes[route] = tmp.name
+    for k, v in routes.items():
+        os.environ[k] = v
+    env = get_xdg_paths()
+    return parse_filepaths(env)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mods
+def test_config_file_import(xdg_paths, state_files):
+
+    # NOTE: write bare files in root
+    tmp_conf = xdg_paths.config.parent.parent
+    tmp_conf_file = tmp_conf / xdg_paths.config.name
+    tmp_conf_file.write_text(CONF_STRING)
+
+    tmp_state = xdg_paths.resolution.parent.parent
+    for file in state_files:
+        tmp_state.joinpath(file).write_text(STATE_STRING)
+    # NOTE: function should move files into "dzgui" subdirectory
+    config_changed, state_changed = copy_bare_configs(
+        xdg_paths.config, xdg_paths.resolution
+    )
+
+    assert xdg_paths.config.read_text() == CONF_STRING
+    for file in state_files:
+        expected = xdg_paths.resolution.parent.joinpath(file)
+        assert expected.read_text() == STATE_STRING
+
+    assert config_changed is True
+    assert state_changed is True
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mods
+def test_config_file_no_import(xdg_paths, state_files):
+    for subdir in xdg_paths.config.parent, xdg_paths.resolution.parent:
+        subdir.mkdir()
+
+    tmp_conf_file = xdg_paths.config
+    tmp_conf_file.write_text(CONF_STRING)
+
+    for file in state_files:
+        xdg_paths.resolution.parent.joinpath(file).write_text(STATE_STRING)
+
+    config_changed, state_changed = copy_bare_configs(
+        xdg_paths.config, xdg_paths.resolution
+    )
+    assert config_changed is False
+    assert state_changed is False