diff --git a/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/utils/settings.tsx b/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/utils/settings.tsx
index 37c90ca68..1fa647143 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/utils/settings.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/utils/settings.tsx
@@ -11,30 +11,39 @@ import os from 'os';
 import {resolve} from 'path';
 import xdg from 'xdg-basedir';
 import {Settings, Tristate} from 'flipper-common';
-import {readFile, writeFile, access} from 'fs-extra';
+import {readFile, writeFile, pathExists, mkdirp} from 'fs-extra';
 
 export async function loadSettings(): Promise<Settings> {
-  if (!access(getSettingsFile())) {
+  if (!pathExists(getSettingsFile())) {
+    return getDefaultSettings();
+  }
+  try {
+    const json = await readFile(getSettingsFile(), {encoding: 'utf8'});
+    return JSON.parse(json);
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.warn('Failed to load settings file', e);
     return getDefaultSettings();
   }
-  const json = await readFile(getSettingsFile(), {encoding: 'utf8'});
-  return JSON.parse(json);
 }
 
 export async function saveSettings(settings: Settings): Promise<void> {
+  await mkdirp(getSettingsDir());
   await writeFile(getSettingsFile(), JSON.stringify(settings, null, 2), {
     encoding: 'utf8',
   });
 }
 
-function getSettingsFile() {
+function getSettingsDir() {
   return resolve(
     ...(xdg.config ? [xdg.config] : [os.homedir(), '.config']),
     'flipper',
-    'settings.json',
   );
 }
 
+function getSettingsFile() {
+  return resolve(getSettingsDir(), 'settings.json');
+}
+
 export const DEFAULT_ANDROID_SDK_PATH = getDefaultAndroidSdkPath();
 
 function getDefaultSettings(): Settings {
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/initializeRenderHost.tsx b/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/initializeRenderHost.tsx
index 816aa95e3..f04f9a346 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/initializeRenderHost.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/initializeRenderHost.tsx
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ export function initializeRenderHost(
       );
     },
     restartFlipper() {
-      // TODO: restart server as well
-      window.location.reload();
+      window.flipperShowError!(
+        'Flipper settings have changed, please restart flipper server for the changes to take effect',
+      );
     },
     loadDefaultPlugins: getDefaultPluginsIndex,
     serverConfig: flipperServerConfig,
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-ui-core/src/chrome/settings/configFields.tsx b/desktop/flipper-ui-core/src/chrome/settings/configFields.tsx
index 7108689b1..868095cb1 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-ui-core/src/chrome/settings/configFields.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-ui-core/src/chrome/settings/configFields.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import React, {useState} from 'react';
 import {promises as fs} from 'fs';
 import {theme} from 'flipper-plugin';
 import {getRenderHostInstance} from '../../RenderHost';
+import {useEffect} from 'react';
 
 export const ConfigFieldContainer = styled(FlexRow)({
   paddingLeft: 10,
@@ -70,14 +71,17 @@ export function FilePathConfigField(props: {
   const renderHost = getRenderHostInstance();
   const [value, setValue] = useState(props.defaultValue);
   const [isValid, setIsValid] = useState(true);
-  fs.stat(value)
-    .then((stat) => props.isRegularFile !== stat.isDirectory())
-    .then((valid) => {
-      if (valid !== isValid) {
-        setIsValid(valid);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    (async function () {
+      try {
+        const stat = await fs.stat(value);
+        setIsValid(props.isRegularFile !== stat.isDirectory());
+      } catch (_) {
+        setIsValid(false);
       }
-    })
-    .catch((_) => setIsValid(false));
+    })();
+  }, [props.isRegularFile, value]);
 
   return (
     <ConfigFieldContainer>