diff --git a/katrain/__main__.py b/katrain/__main__.py
index c3d5754..5936343 100644
--- a/katrain/__main__.py
+++ b/katrain/__main__.py
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 # first, logging level lower and force audio framework
 import os
 
-from katrain.core.contribute_engine import KataGoContributeEngine
-
 os.environ["KCFG_KIVY_LOG_LEVEL"] = os.environ.get("KCFG_KIVY_LOG_LEVEL", "warning")
 if "KIVY_AUDIO" not in os.environ:
     os.environ["KIVY_AUDIO"] = "sdl2"  # some backends hard crash / this seems to be most stable
@@ -70,6 +68,7 @@ from katrain.core.constants import (
 from katrain.gui.popups import ConfigTeacherPopup, ConfigTimerPopup, I18NPopup, SaveSGFPopup, ContributePopup
 from katrain.core.base_katrain import KaTrainBase
 from katrain.core.engine import KataGoEngine
+from katrain.core.contribute_engine import KataGoContributeEngine
 from katrain.core.game import Game, IllegalMoveException, KaTrainSGF, BaseGame
 from katrain.core.sgf_parser import Move, ParseError
 from katrain.gui.popups import ConfigPopup, LoadSGFPopup, NewGamePopup, ConfigAIPopup
@@ -279,7 +278,7 @@ class KaTrainGui(Screen, KaTrainBase):
                         "save_game",
                         "find_mistake",
                     ]:
-                        self.log(i18n._("gui-locked").format(action=msg), OUTPUT_ERROR)
+                        self.controls.set_status(i18n._("gui-locked").format(action=msg), STATUS_INFO, check_level=False)
                         continue
                 fn = getattr(self, f"_do_{msg}")
                 fn(*args, **kwargs)
@@ -293,7 +292,7 @@ class KaTrainGui(Screen, KaTrainBase):
         if self.game:
             if message.endswith("popup"):  # gui code needs to run in main kivy thread.
                 if self.contributing and "save" not in message and message != "contribute-popup":
-                    self.log(i18n._("gui-locked").format(action=message), OUTPUT_ERROR)
+                    self.controls.set_status(i18n._("gui-locked").format(action=message), STATUS_INFO, check_level=False)
                     return
                 fn = getattr(self, f"_do_{message.replace('-', '_')}")
                 Clock.schedule_once(lambda _dt: fn(*args, **kwargs), -1)
diff --git a/katrain/core/constants.py b/katrain/core/constants.py
index fc2b76a..a668648 100644
--- a/katrain/core/constants.py
+++ b/katrain/core/constants.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 PROGRAM_NAME = "KaTrain"
-VERSION = "1.8.0"
+VERSION = "1.8.1"
 HOMEPAGE = "https://github.com/sanderland/katrain"
 CONFIG_MIN_VERSION = "1.8.0"  # keep config files from this version
 ANALYSIS_FORMAT_VERSION = "1.0"
diff --git a/katrain/core/contribute_engine.py b/katrain/core/contribute_engine.py
index c0ff158..a0f8b83 100644
--- a/katrain/core/contribute_engine.py
+++ b/katrain/core/contribute_engine.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import time
 import traceback
 from collections import defaultdict
 
-from katrain.core.constants import OUTPUT_DEBUG, OUTPUT_ERROR, OUTPUT_INFO, OUTPUT_KATAGO_STDERR
+from katrain.core.constants import OUTPUT_DEBUG, OUTPUT_ERROR, OUTPUT_INFO, OUTPUT_KATAGO_STDERR, DATA_FOLDER
 from katrain.core.engine import EngineDiedException, BaseEngine
 from katrain.core.game import BaseGame
 from katrain.core.lang import i18n
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ class KataGoContributeEngine(BaseEngine):
             "maxSimultaneousGames": self.config.get("maxgames") or self.DEFAULT_MAX_GAMES,
             "includeOwnership": self.config.get("ownership") or False,
             "logGamesAsJson": True,
+            "homeDataDir": os.path.expanduser(DATA_FOLDER)
         }
         self.max_buffer_games = 2 * settings_dict["maxSimultaneousGames"]
         settings = {f"{k}={v}" for k, v in settings_dict.items()}
diff --git a/katrain/core/engine.py b/katrain/core/engine.py
index a194dcd..f38c4d4 100644
--- a/katrain/core/engine.py
+++ b/katrain/core/engine.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ from typing import Callable, Dict, List, Optional
 
 from kivy.utils import platform as kivy_platform
 
-from katrain.core.constants import OUTPUT_DEBUG, OUTPUT_ERROR, OUTPUT_EXTRA_DEBUG, OUTPUT_KATAGO_STDERR
+from katrain.core.constants import OUTPUT_DEBUG, OUTPUT_ERROR, OUTPUT_EXTRA_DEBUG, OUTPUT_KATAGO_STDERR, DATA_FOLDER
 from katrain.core.game_node import GameNode
 from katrain.core.lang import i18n
 from katrain.core.sgf_parser import Move
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class KataGoEngine(BaseEngine):
                 self.katrain.log(i18n._("Kata config not found").format(config=cfg), OUTPUT_ERROR)
                 return  # don't start
             self.command = shlex.split(
-                f'"{exe}" analysis -model "{model}" -config "{cfg}" -analysis-threads {config["threads"]}'
+                f'"{exe}" analysis -model "{model}" -config "{cfg}" -analysis-threads {config["threads"]} -override-config "homeDataDir={os.path.expanduser(DATA_FOLDER)}"'
             )
         self.start()