diff --git a/src/fapplication.cpp b/src/fapplication.cpp
index 72159c99..d6ba26ef 100644
--- a/src/fapplication.cpp
+++ b/src/fapplication.cpp
@@ -785,7 +785,7 @@ bool FApplication::loadReferenceModel(const QString & databaseName, bool fullLoa
 bool FApplication::loadReferenceModel(const QString &  databaseName, bool fullLoad, ReferenceModel * referenceModel)
 {
 	QDir dir = FolderUtils::getAppPartsSubFolder("");
-	QString dbPath = dir.absoluteFilePath("parts.db");
+	QString dbPath = FolderUtils::getTopLevelDocumentsPath() + "/parts.db";
 
 	QFileInfo info(dbPath);
 	bool dbExists = (info.size() > 0) && !fullLoad;
@@ -798,7 +798,11 @@ bool FApplication::loadReferenceModel(const QString &  databaseName, bool fullLo
 		sha = PartsChecker::getSha(dir.absolutePath());
 		if (sha.isEmpty()) {
 			DebugDialog::debug(QString("1.6 SHA empty"));
+#ifdef PARTS_COMMIT
+			sha = PARTS_COMMIT;
+#else
 			return false;
+#endif
 		}
 		referenceModel->setSha(sha);
 	}
@@ -2042,7 +2046,7 @@ void FApplication::regeneratePartsDatabase() {
 void FApplication::regeneratePartsDatabaseAux(QDialog * progressDialog) {
 	ReferenceModel * referenceModel = new CurrentReferenceModel();
 	QDir dir = FolderUtils::getAppPartsSubFolder("");
-	QString dbPath = dir.absoluteFilePath("parts.db");
+	QString dbPath = FolderUtils::getTopLevelDocumentsPath() + "/parts.db";
 	RegenerateDatabaseThread *thread = new RegenerateDatabaseThread(dbPath, progressDialog, referenceModel);
 	connect(thread, SIGNAL(finished()), this, SLOT(regenerateDatabaseFinished()));
 	FMessageBox::BlockMessages = true;
diff --git a/src/version/updatedialog.cpp b/src/version/updatedialog.cpp
index 58c71da8..c481cdec 100644
--- a/src/version/updatedialog.cpp
+++ b/src/version/updatedialog.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ along with Fritzing.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "versionchecker.h"
 #include "modfiledialog.h"
 #include "../debugdialog.h"
+#include "../utils/folderutils.h"
 
 #include <QVBoxLayout>
 #include <QPushButton>
@@ -183,7 +184,7 @@ void UpdateDialog::releasesAvailableSlot() {
 		permissionTest.close();
 		permissionTest.remove();
 		if (count > 0) {
-			QFile db(repoDir.absoluteFilePath("parts.db"));
+			QFile db(FolderUtils::getTopLevelDocumentsPath() + "/parts.db");
 			if (db.open(QFile::Append)) {
 				canWrite = true;
 				db.close();