diff --git a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h
index 6c86e5c872a..ffe8a519dc2 100644
--- a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h
+++ b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h
@@ -571,6 +571,7 @@ class GlobalData : public SubsystemInterface
 	// just the "leaf name", read from INI. private because no one is ever allowed
 	// to look at it directly; they must go thru getPath_UserData(). (srj)
 	AsciiString m_userDataLeafName;
+	static AsciiString BuildUserDataPathFromIni();
 
 	static GlobalData *m_theOriginal;		///< the original global data instance (no overrides)
 	GlobalData *m_next;									///< next instance (for overrides)
diff --git a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/GlobalData.cpp b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/GlobalData.cpp
index a3cf9c0dac0..a2b17958a2d 100644
--- a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/GlobalData.cpp
+++ b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/GlobalData.cpp
@@ -1172,17 +1172,8 @@ void GlobalData::parseGameDataDefinition( INI* ini )
 	ini->initFromINI( TheWritableGlobalData, s_GlobalDataFieldParseTable );
 
 	TheWritableGlobalData->m_userDataDir.clear();
-
-	char temp[_MAX_PATH];
-	if (::SHGetSpecialFolderPath(nullptr, temp, CSIDL_PERSONAL, true))
-	{
-		if (temp[strlen(temp)-1] != '\\')
-			strcat(temp, "\\");
-		strcat(temp, TheWritableGlobalData->m_userDataLeafName.str());
-		strcat(temp, "\\");
-		CreateDirectory(temp, nullptr);
-		TheWritableGlobalData->m_userDataDir = temp;
-	}
+	TheWritableGlobalData->m_userDataDir = BuildUserDataPathFromIni();
+	CreateDirectory(TheWritableGlobalData->m_userDataDir.str(), nullptr);
 
 	// override INI values with user preferences
 	OptionPreferences optionPref;
@@ -1313,3 +1304,55 @@ UnsignedInt GlobalData::generateExeCRC()
 
 	return exeCRC.get();
 }
+
+AsciiString GlobalData::BuildUserDataPathFromIni()
+{
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && (_MSC_VER < 1300)
+	// VC6 lacks FOLDERID_Documents and KF_FLAG_DEFAULT
+	const GUID FOLDERID_Documents = { 0xFDD39AD0, 0x238F, 0x46AF, 0xAD, 0xB4, 0x6C, 0x85, 0x48, 0x03, 0x69, 0xC7 };
+	const DWORD KF_FLAG_DEFAULT = 0;
+#endif
+
+	typedef HRESULT(WINAPI* PFN_SHGetKnownFolderPath)(const GUID& rfid, DWORD dwFlags, HANDLE hToken, PWSTR* ppszPath);
+
+	AsciiString myDocumentsDirectory;
+	HMODULE shell32module = GetModuleHandleA("shell32.dll");
+	PFN_SHGetKnownFolderPath pSHGetKnownFolderPath = nullptr;
+
+	// TheSuperHackers @bugfix Mauller 20/03/2026 Fix the handling of folder redirection
+	// OneDrive and Group Policy folder redirection is better supported by SHGetKnownFolderPath()
+	// SHGetKnownFolderPath() is only supported in windows Vista onwards so we check for it being available
+	if (shell32module) {
+		pSHGetKnownFolderPath = (PFN_SHGetKnownFolderPath)GetProcAddress(shell32module, "SHGetKnownFolderPath");
+	}
+
+	if (pSHGetKnownFolderPath) {
+		PWSTR pszPath = nullptr;
+		HRESULT hr = pSHGetKnownFolderPath(FOLDERID_Documents, KF_FLAG_DEFAULT, nullptr, &pszPath);
+
+		if (SUCCEEDED(hr) && pszPath) {
+			myDocumentsDirectory.translate(UnicodeString(pszPath));
+			CoTaskMemFree(pszPath);
+		}
+	}
+	else {
+		char temp[_MAX_PATH + 1];
+		if (SHGetSpecialFolderPath(nullptr, temp, CSIDL_PERSONAL, true)) {
+			myDocumentsDirectory = temp;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (myDocumentsDirectory.isEmpty())
+		return AsciiString::TheEmptyString;
+
+	// Now build the full path string
+	if (!myDocumentsDirectory.endsWith("\\"))
+		myDocumentsDirectory.concat('\\');
+
+	myDocumentsDirectory.concat(TheWritableGlobalData->m_userDataLeafName.str());
+
+	if (!myDocumentsDirectory.endsWith("\\"))
+		myDocumentsDirectory.concat('\\');
+
+	return myDocumentsDirectory;
+}
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h
index 8fcde36e5d5..4f25d868f05 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h
@@ -576,6 +576,7 @@ class GlobalData : public SubsystemInterface
 	// this is private, since we read the info from Windows and cache it for
 	// future use. No one is allowed to change it, ever. (srj)
 	AsciiString m_userDataDir;
+	AsciiString BuildUserDataPathFromRegistry();
 
 	static GlobalData *m_theOriginal;		///< the original global data instance (no overrides)
 	GlobalData *m_next;									///< next instance (for overrides)
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/GlobalData.cpp b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/GlobalData.cpp
index 8527e8a70cd..502517aa329 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/GlobalData.cpp
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/GlobalData.cpp
@@ -1036,32 +1036,10 @@ GlobalData::GlobalData()
 
 	m_keyboardCameraRotateSpeed = 0.1f;
 
-  // Set user data directory based on registry settings instead of INI parameters. This allows us to
-  // localize the leaf name.
-  char temp[_MAX_PATH + 1];
-  if (::SHGetSpecialFolderPath(nullptr, temp, CSIDL_PERSONAL, true))
-  {
-    AsciiString myDocumentsDirectory = temp;
-
-    if (myDocumentsDirectory.getCharAt(myDocumentsDirectory.getLength() -1) != '\\')
-      myDocumentsDirectory.concat( '\\' );
-
-    AsciiString leafName;
-
-    if ( !GetStringFromRegistry( "", "UserDataLeafName", leafName ) )
-    {
-      // Use something, anything
-      // [MH] had to remove this, otherwise mapcache build step won't run... DEBUG_CRASH( ( "Could not find registry key UserDataLeafName; defaulting to \"Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour Data\" " ) );
-      leafName = "Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour Data";
-    }
-
-    myDocumentsDirectory.concat( leafName );
-    if (myDocumentsDirectory.getCharAt( myDocumentsDirectory.getLength() - 1) != '\\')
-      myDocumentsDirectory.concat( '\\' );
-
-    CreateDirectory(myDocumentsDirectory.str(), nullptr);
-    m_userDataDir = myDocumentsDirectory;
-  }
+	// Set user data directory based on registry settings instead of INI parameters.
+	// This allows us to localize the leaf name.
+	m_userDataDir = BuildUserDataPathFromRegistry();
+	CreateDirectory(m_userDataDir.str(), nullptr);
 
 	//-allAdvice feature
 	//m_allAdvice = FALSE;
@@ -1333,3 +1311,62 @@ UnsignedInt GlobalData::generateExeCRC()
 
 	return exeCRC.get();
 }
+
+AsciiString GlobalData::BuildUserDataPathFromRegistry()
+{
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && (_MSC_VER < 1300)
+	// VC6 lacks FOLDERID_Documents and KF_FLAG_DEFAULT
+	const GUID FOLDERID_Documents = { 0xFDD39AD0, 0x238F, 0x46AF, 0xAD, 0xB4, 0x6C, 0x85, 0x48, 0x03, 0x69, 0xC7 };
+	const DWORD KF_FLAG_DEFAULT = 0;
+#endif
+
+	typedef HRESULT(WINAPI* PFN_SHGetKnownFolderPath)(const GUID& rfid, DWORD dwFlags, HANDLE hToken, PWSTR* ppszPath);
+
+	AsciiString myDocumentsDirectory;
+	HMODULE shell32module = GetModuleHandleA("shell32.dll");
+	PFN_SHGetKnownFolderPath pSHGetKnownFolderPath = nullptr;
+
+	// TheSuperHackers @bugfix Mauller 20/03/2026 Fix the handling of folder redirection
+	// OneDrive and Group Policy folder redirection is better supported by SHGetKnownFolderPath()
+	// SHGetKnownFolderPath() is only supported in windows Vista onwards so we check for it being available
+	if (shell32module) {
+		pSHGetKnownFolderPath = (PFN_SHGetKnownFolderPath)GetProcAddress(shell32module, "SHGetKnownFolderPath");
+	}
+
+	if (pSHGetKnownFolderPath) {
+		PWSTR pszPath = nullptr;
+		HRESULT hr = pSHGetKnownFolderPath(FOLDERID_Documents, KF_FLAG_DEFAULT, nullptr, &pszPath);
+
+		if (SUCCEEDED(hr) && pszPath) {
+			myDocumentsDirectory.translate(UnicodeString(pszPath));
+			CoTaskMemFree(pszPath);
+		}
+	}
+	else {
+		char temp[_MAX_PATH + 1];
+		if (SHGetSpecialFolderPath(nullptr, temp, CSIDL_PERSONAL, true)) {
+			myDocumentsDirectory = temp;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (myDocumentsDirectory.isEmpty())
+		return AsciiString::TheEmptyString;
+
+	// Now build the full path string
+	if (!myDocumentsDirectory.endsWith("\\"))
+		myDocumentsDirectory.concat('\\');
+
+	AsciiString leafName;
+	if (!GetStringFromRegistry("", "UserDataLeafName", leafName))
+	{
+		// Use something, anything
+		// [MH] had to remove this, otherwise mapcache build step won't run... DEBUG_CRASH( ( "Could not find registry key UserDataLeafName; defaulting to \"Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour Data\" " ) );
+		leafName = "Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour Data";
+	}
+
+	myDocumentsDirectory.concat(leafName);
+	if (!myDocumentsDirectory.endsWith("\\"))
+		myDocumentsDirectory.concat('\\');
+
+	return myDocumentsDirectory;
+}