diff --git a/Jellyfin.Server/Jellyfin.Server.csproj b/Jellyfin.Server/Jellyfin.Server.csproj
index 3640d1ce..80c18a68 100644
--- a/Jellyfin.Server/Jellyfin.Server.csproj
+++ b/Jellyfin.Server/Jellyfin.Server.csproj
@@ -44,9 +44,18 @@
     <PackageReference Include="SmartAnalyzers.MultithreadingAnalyzer" PrivateAssets="All" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
-    <Content Remove="Resources\Configuration\startup.default.json" />
-    <Content Remove="Resources\Configuration\startup.linux.json" />
-    <Content Remove="Resources\Configuration\startup.windows.json" />
+    <Content Remove="startup.json.example" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <None Include="startup.json.linux">
+      <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
+      <CopyToPublishDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToPublishDirectory>
+    </None>
+    <None Include="startup.json.windows">
+      <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
+      <CopyToPublishDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToPublishDirectory>
+    </None>
   </ItemGroup>
 
   <ItemGroup>
diff --git a/Jellyfin.Server/startup.json.linux b/Jellyfin.Server/startup.json.linux
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cf6baf2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Jellyfin.Server/startup.json.linux
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{
+  "_comment": "Jellyfin Startup Configuration - Linux defaults - using /var/lib/jellyfin",
+  "_note": "These paths will be used unless overridden by environment variables or command-line arguments",
+  "_priority": "Command-line args > Environment variables > This file > Built-in defaults",
+  "Paths": {
+    "DataDir": "/var/lib/jellyfin/data",
+    "ConfigDir": "/etc/jellyfin",
+    "CacheDir": "/var/cache/jellyfin",
+    "LogDir": "/var/log/jellyfin",
+    "TempDir": "/tmp/jellyfin",
+    "WebDir": "wwwroot"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/Jellyfin.Server/startup.json.windows b/Jellyfin.Server/startup.json.windows
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..09732101
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Jellyfin.Server/startup.json.windows
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{
+  "_comment": "Jellyfin Startup Configuration - Windows defaults - using C:/ProgramData/jellyfin",
+  "_note": "These paths will be used unless overridden by environment variables or command-line arguments",
+  "_priority": "Command-line args > Environment variables > This file > Built-in defaults",
+  "Paths": {
+    "DataDir": "C:/ProgramData/jellyfin/data",
+    "ConfigDir": "C:/ProgramData/jellyfin/config",
+    "CacheDir": "C:/ProgramData/jellyfin/cache",
+    "LogDir": "C:/ProgramData/jellyfin/log",
+    "TempDir": "C:/ProgramData/Temp/jellyfin",
+    "WebDir": "wwwroot"
+  }
+}