diff --git a/src/core/paths.cpp b/src/core/paths.cpp
index 211d57c1..037052d3 100644
--- a/src/core/paths.cpp
+++ b/src/core/paths.cpp
@@ -48,28 +48,6 @@ QString QsPaths::ipcPath(const QString& id) {
 	return QDir(QsPaths::basePath(id)).filePath("ipc.sock");
 }
 
-QDir* QsPaths::cacheDir() {
-	if (this->cacheState == DirState::Unknown) {
-		auto dir = QDir(QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::CacheLocation));
-		dir = QDir(dir.filePath("by-shell"));
-		dir = QDir(dir.filePath(this->shellId));
-		this->mCacheDir = dir;
-
-		qCDebug(logPaths) << "Initialized cache path:" << dir.path();
-
-		if (!dir.mkpath(".")) {
-			qCCritical(logPaths) << "Could not create cache directory at" << dir.path();
-
-			this->cacheState = DirState::Failed;
-		} else {
-			this->cacheState = DirState::Ready;
-		}
-	}
-
-	if (this->cacheState == DirState::Failed) return nullptr;
-	else return &this->mCacheDir;
-}
-
 QDir* QsPaths::baseRunDir() {
 	if (this->baseRunState == DirState::Unknown) {
 		auto runtimeDir = qEnvironmentVariable("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR");
@@ -230,6 +208,72 @@ void QsPaths::linkPathDir() {
 	}
 }
 
+QDir QsPaths::shellDataDir() {
+	if (this->shellDataState == DirState::Unknown) {
+		auto dir = QDir(QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::AppDataLocation));
+		dir = QDir(dir.filePath("by-shell"));
+		dir = QDir(dir.filePath(this->shellId));
+		this->mShellDataDir = dir;
+
+		qCDebug(logPaths) << "Initialized data path:" << dir.path();
+
+		if (!dir.mkpath(".")) {
+			qCCritical(logPaths) << "Could not create data directory at" << dir.path();
+
+			this->shellDataState = DirState::Failed;
+		} else {
+			this->shellDataState = DirState::Ready;
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Returning no path on fail might result in files being written in unintended locations.
+	return this->mShellDataDir;
+}
+
+QDir QsPaths::shellStateDir() {
+	if (this->shellStateState == DirState::Unknown) {
+		auto dir = QDir(QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::StateLocation));
+		dir = QDir(dir.filePath("by-shell"));
+		dir = QDir(dir.filePath(this->shellId));
+		this->mShellStateDir = dir;
+
+		qCDebug(logPaths) << "Initialized state path:" << dir.path();
+
+		if (!dir.mkpath(".")) {
+			qCCritical(logPaths) << "Could not create state directory at" << dir.path();
+
+			this->shellStateState = DirState::Failed;
+		} else {
+			this->shellStateState = DirState::Ready;
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Returning no path on fail might result in files being written in unintended locations.
+	return this->mShellStateDir;
+}
+
+QDir QsPaths::shellCacheDir() {
+	if (this->shellCacheState == DirState::Unknown) {
+		auto dir = QDir(QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::CacheLocation));
+		dir = QDir(dir.filePath("by-shell"));
+		dir = QDir(dir.filePath(this->shellId));
+		this->mShellCacheDir = dir;
+
+		qCDebug(logPaths) << "Initialized cache path:" << dir.path();
+
+		if (!dir.mkpath(".")) {
+			qCCritical(logPaths) << "Could not create cache directory at" << dir.path();
+
+			this->shellCacheState = DirState::Failed;
+		} else {
+			this->shellCacheState = DirState::Ready;
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Returning no path on fail might result in files being written in unintended locations.
+	return this->mShellCacheDir;
+}
+
 void QsPaths::createLock() {
 	if (auto* runDir = this->instanceRunDir()) {
 		auto path = runDir->filePath("instance.lock");
diff --git a/src/core/paths.hpp b/src/core/paths.hpp
index 8d95fae6..d750d7f1 100644
--- a/src/core/paths.hpp
+++ b/src/core/paths.hpp
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ public:
 	checkLock(const QString& path, InstanceLockInfo* info = nullptr, bool allowDead = false);
 	static QVector<InstanceLockInfo> collectInstances(const QString& path, bool fallbackDead = false);
 
-	QDir* cacheDir();
 	QDir* baseRunDir();
 	QDir* shellRunDir();
 	QDir* instanceRunDir();
@@ -32,6 +31,10 @@ public:
 	void linkPathDir();
 	void createLock();
 
+	QDir shellDataDir();
+	QDir shellStateDir();
+	QDir shellCacheDir();
+
 private:
 	enum class DirState : quint8 {
 		Unknown = 0,
@@ -41,12 +44,17 @@ private:
 
 	QString shellId;
 	QString pathId;
-	QDir mCacheDir;
 	QDir mBaseRunDir;
 	QDir mShellRunDir;
 	QDir mInstanceRunDir;
-	DirState cacheState = DirState::Unknown;
 	DirState baseRunState = DirState::Unknown;
 	DirState shellRunState = DirState::Unknown;
 	DirState instanceRunState = DirState::Unknown;
+
+	QDir mShellDataDir;
+	QDir mShellStateDir;
+	QDir mShellCacheDir;
+	DirState shellDataState = DirState::Unknown;
+	DirState shellStateState = DirState::Unknown;
+	DirState shellCacheState = DirState::Unknown;
 };
diff --git a/src/core/qmlglobal.cpp b/src/core/qmlglobal.cpp
index 0b976053..c0a14197 100644
--- a/src/core/qmlglobal.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qmlglobal.cpp
@@ -190,12 +190,16 @@ void QuickshellGlobal::setWatchFiles(bool watchFiles) { // NOLINT
 	QuickshellSettings::instance()->setWatchFiles(watchFiles);
 }
 
-QString QuickshellGlobal::cacheDir() const { // NOLINT
-	auto* dir = QsPaths::instance()->cacheDir();
-	if (dir) return dir->path();
+QString QuickshellGlobal::dataDir() const { // NOLINT
+	return QsPaths::instance()->shellDataDir().path();
+}
 
-	qCritical() << "Could not find cache dir.";
-	return "/quickshell-cache-not-found";
+QString QuickshellGlobal::stateDir() const { // NOLINT
+	return QsPaths::instance()->shellStateDir().path();
+}
+
+QString QuickshellGlobal::cacheDir() const { // NOLINT
+	return QsPaths::instance()->shellCacheDir().path();
 }
 
 QVariant QuickshellGlobal::env(const QString& variable) { // NOLINT
diff --git a/src/core/qmlglobal.hpp b/src/core/qmlglobal.hpp
index 2f614fe7..4c87bc82 100644
--- a/src/core/qmlglobal.hpp
+++ b/src/core/qmlglobal.hpp
@@ -108,6 +108,14 @@ class QuickshellGlobal: public QObject {
 	/// If true then the configuration will be reloaded whenever any files change.
 	/// Defaults to true.
 	Q_PROPERTY(bool watchFiles READ watchFiles WRITE setWatchFiles NOTIFY watchFilesChanged);
+	/// The per-shell data directory.
+	///
+	/// Usually `~/.local/share/quickshell/by-shell/<shell-id>`
+	Q_PROPERTY(QString dataDir READ dataDir CONSTANT);
+	/// The per-shell state directory.
+	///
+	/// Usually `~/.local/state/quickshell/by-shell/<shell-id>`
+	Q_PROPERTY(QString stateDir READ stateDir CONSTANT);
 	/// The per-shell cache directory.
 	///
 	/// Usually `~/.cache/quickshell/by-shell/<shell-id>`
@@ -156,6 +164,8 @@ public:
 	[[nodiscard]] bool watchFiles() const;
 	void setWatchFiles(bool watchFiles);
 
+	[[nodiscard]] QString dataDir() const;
+	[[nodiscard]] QString stateDir() const;
 	[[nodiscard]] QString cacheDir() const;
 
 	static QuickshellGlobal* create(QQmlEngine* engine, QJSEngine* /*unused*/);