diff --git a/apps/launcher/datafilespage.cpp b/apps/launcher/datafilespage.cpp
index 8efb83be41..20a1d5e57d 100644
--- a/apps/launcher/datafilespage.cpp
+++ b/apps/launcher/datafilespage.cpp
@@ -236,14 +236,13 @@ void Launcher::DataFilesPage::populateFileViews(const QString& contentModelName)
     if (!globalDataDir.isEmpty())
         directories.insert(0, globalDataDir);
 
-    // normalize user supplied directories: resolve symlink, convert to native separator, make absolute
-    for (auto& currentDir : directories)
-        currentDir = QDir(QDir::cleanPath(currentDir)).canonicalPath();
-
     std::unordered_set<QString> visitedDirectories;
     for (const QString& currentDir : directories)
     {
-        if (!visitedDirectories.insert(currentDir).second)
+        // normalize user supplied directories: resolve symlink, convert to native separator, make absolute
+        const QString canonicalDirPath = QDir(QDir::cleanPath(currentDir)).canonicalPath();
+
+        if (!visitedDirectories.insert(canonicalDirPath).second)
             continue;
 
         // add new achives files presents in current directory
@@ -252,7 +251,7 @@ void Launcher::DataFilesPage::populateFileViews(const QString& contentModelName)
         QString tooltip;
 
         // add content files presents in current directory
-        mSelector->addFiles(currentDir, mNewDataDirs.contains(currentDir));
+        mSelector->addFiles(currentDir, mNewDataDirs.contains(canonicalDirPath));
 
         // add current directory to list
         ui.directoryListWidget->addItem(currentDir);
@@ -260,7 +259,7 @@ void Launcher::DataFilesPage::populateFileViews(const QString& contentModelName)
         auto* item = ui.directoryListWidget->item(row);
 
         // Display new content with green background
-        if (mNewDataDirs.contains(currentDir))
+        if (mNewDataDirs.contains(canonicalDirPath))
         {
             tooltip += "Will be added to the current profile\n";
             item->setBackground(Qt::green);