diff --git a/config/src/lib.rs b/config/src/lib.rs
index 36c297d..c5644d8 100644
--- a/config/src/lib.rs
+++ b/config/src/lib.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ pub const NAME: &str = "com.system76.CosmicBackground";
 pub const BACKGROUNDS: &str = "backgrounds";
 pub const DEFAULT_BACKGROUND: &str = "all";
 pub const SAME_ON_ALL: &str = "same-on-all";
+pub const SEARCH_SUBFOLDERS: &str = "search-subfolders";
 
 /// Create a context to the `cosmic-bg` config.
 ///
@@ -73,6 +74,24 @@ impl Context {
 
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    pub fn search_subfolders(&self) -> bool {
+    	if let Ok(value) = self.0.get::<bool>(SEARCH_SUBFOLDERS) {
+    		return value;
+    	}
+
+    	let _res = self.0.set(SEARCH_SUBFOLDERS, true);
+
+    	true
+    }
+
+    pub fn set_search_subfolders(&self, value: bool) -> Result<(), cosmic_config::Error> {
+    	if self.search_subfolders() != value {
+    		return self.0.set(SEARCH_SUBFOLDERS, value);
+    	}
+    	
+    	Ok(())
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Clone, PartialEq, Setters)]
@@ -211,6 +230,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub outputs: HashSet<String>,
     pub backgrounds: Vec<Entry>,
     pub default_background: Entry,
+    pub search_subfolders: bool,
 }
 
 impl Default for Config {
@@ -220,6 +240,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             outputs: HashSet::new(),
             backgrounds: Vec::new(),
             default_background: Entry::fallback(),
+            search_subfolders: true,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -233,6 +254,7 @@ impl Config {
     pub fn load(context: &Context) -> Result<Self, cosmic_config::Error> {
         let mut config = Self {
             same_on_all: context.same_on_all(),
+            search_subfolders: context.search_subfolders(),
             ..Default::default()
         };
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 94f9114..f031907 100755
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -155,6 +155,14 @@ fn main() -> color_eyre::Result<()> {
                                 changes_applied = true;
                             }
 
+                            cosmic_bg_config::SEARCH_SUBFOLDERS => {
+                            	tracing::debug!("updating search_subfolders");
+                            	state.config.search_subfolders = conf_context.search_subfolders();
+                            	
+
+                            	changes_applied = true;
+                            }
+
                             _ => {
                                 tracing::debug!(key, "key modified");
                                 if let Some(output) = key.strip_prefix("output.")
@@ -179,6 +187,7 @@ fn main() -> color_eyre::Result<()> {
                             outputs = ?state.config.outputs,
                             backgrounds = ?state.config.backgrounds,
                             default_background = ?state.config.default_background.source,
+                            search_subfolders = state.config.search_subfolders,
                             "new state"
                         );
                     }
@@ -209,6 +218,7 @@ fn main() -> color_eyre::Result<()> {
                     qh.clone(),
                     event_loop.handle(),
                     source_tx.clone(),
+                    config.search_subfolders,
                 )
             })
         });
@@ -220,6 +230,7 @@ fn main() -> color_eyre::Result<()> {
             qh.clone(),
             event_loop.handle(),
             source_tx.clone(),
+            config.search_subfolders,
         ));
 
         wallpapers
@@ -280,6 +291,7 @@ impl CosmicBg {
             self.qh.clone(),
             self.loop_handle.clone(),
             self.source_tx.clone(),
+            self.config.search_subfolders,
         );
 
         let mut backgrounds = self.config.backgrounds.clone();
@@ -298,6 +310,7 @@ impl CosmicBg {
                         self.qh.clone(),
                         self.loop_handle.clone(),
                         self.source_tx.clone(),
+                        self.config.search_subfolders,
                     );
 
                     new_wallpaper
diff --git a/src/wallpaper.rs b/src/wallpaper.rs
index 7c967f2..50dcd31 100644
--- a/src/wallpaper.rs
+++ b/src/wallpaper.rs
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ pub struct Wallpaper {
     // Cache of source image, if `current_source` is a `Source::Path`
     current_image: Option<image::DynamicImage>,
     timer_token: Option<RegistrationToken>,
+    subfolder_search: bool,
 }
 
 impl Drop for Wallpaper {
@@ -50,6 +51,8 @@ impl Wallpaper {
         queue_handle: QueueHandle<CosmicBg>,
         loop_handle: calloop::LoopHandle<'static, CosmicBg>,
         source_tx: calloop::channel::SyncSender<(String, notify::Event)>,
+        subfolder_search: bool,
+        
     ) -> Self {
         let mut wallpaper = Wallpaper {
             entry,
@@ -60,6 +63,7 @@ impl Wallpaper {
             timer_token: None,
             loop_handle,
             queue_handle,
+            subfolder_search,
         };
 
         wallpaper.load_images();
@@ -210,13 +214,22 @@ impl Wallpaper {
     pub fn load_images(&mut self) {
         let mut image_queue = VecDeque::new();
         let xdg_data_dirs: Vec<String> = match std::env::var("XDG_DATA_DIRS") {
-            Ok(raw_xdg_data_dirs) => raw_xdg_data_dirs
+        	// Only Ok if the xdg var exists and is not empty
+            Ok(raw_xdg_data_dirs) if !raw_xdg_data_dirs.is_empty()  => raw_xdg_data_dirs
                 .split(':')
                 .map(|s| format!("{}/backgrounds/", s))
                 .collect(),
-            Err(_) => Vec::new(),
+            // fallback to defaults in compliance with XDG standards    
+            _  => vec![  
+            	"/usr/local/share/backgrounds/".to_string(),
+            	"/usr/share/backgrounds/".to_string()
+            ],
         };
 
+		
+		
+		tracing::debug!(?xdg_data_dirs);
+		
         match self.entry.source {
             Source::Path(ref source) => {
                 tracing::debug!(?source, "loading images");
@@ -225,7 +238,7 @@ impl Wallpaper {
                     if source.is_dir() {
                         if xdg_data_dirs
                             .iter()
-                            .any(|xdg_data_dir| source.starts_with(xdg_data_dir))
+                            .any(|xdg_data_dir| source.starts_with(xdg_data_dir)) || self.subfolder_search
                         {
                             // Store paths of wallpapers to be used for the slideshow.
                             for img_path in WalkDir::new(source)