diff --git a/src/file_builders/active_runtime_json.rs b/src/file_builders/active_runtime_json.rs
index fbae602..70efab2 100644
--- a/src/file_builders/active_runtime_json.rs
+++ b/src/file_builders/active_runtime_json.rs
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 use crate::{
     file_utils::{
-        deserialize_file, get_backup_dir, get_writer, get_xdg_config_dir, get_xdg_data_dir,
-        set_file_radonly,
+        copy_file, deserialize_file, get_backup_dir, get_writer, get_xdg_config_dir,
+        get_xdg_data_dir, set_file_readonly,
     },
     paths::SYSTEM_PREFIX,
     profile::{Profile, XRServiceType},
 };
 use expect_dialog::ExpectDialog;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
-use std::{fs::copy, path::Path};
+use std::path::Path;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct ActiveRuntimeInnerRuntime {
@@ -57,11 +57,10 @@ fn backup_steam_active_runtime() {
     let ar = get_current_active_runtime();
     if ar.is_some() {
         if is_steam(&ar.unwrap()) {
-            copy(
-                get_active_runtime_json_path(),
-                get_backup_steam_active_runtime_path(),
-            )
-            .expect_dialog("Failed to back up active_runtime.json");
+            copy_file(
+                &get_active_runtime_json_path(),
+                &get_backup_steam_active_runtime_path(),
+            );
         }
     }
 }
@@ -75,11 +74,9 @@ pub fn get_current_active_runtime() -> Option<ActiveRuntime> {
 }
 
 fn dump_active_runtime_to_path(active_runtime: &ActiveRuntime, path_s: &String) {
-    set_file_radonly(path_s, false);
     let writer = get_writer(path_s);
     serde_json::to_writer_pretty(writer, active_runtime)
         .expect_dialog("Unable to save active runtime");
-    set_file_radonly(path_s, true);
 }
 
 pub fn dump_current_active_runtime(active_runtime: &ActiveRuntime) {
@@ -105,6 +102,7 @@ fn build_steam_active_runtime() -> ActiveRuntime {
 }
 
 pub fn set_current_active_runtime_to_steam() {
+    set_file_readonly(&get_active_runtime_json_path(), false);
     dump_current_active_runtime(&build_steam_active_runtime())
 }
 
@@ -127,13 +125,14 @@ pub fn build_profile_active_runtime(profile: &Profile) -> ActiveRuntime {
 }
 
 pub fn set_current_active_runtime_to_profile(profile: &Profile) {
+    let dest = get_active_runtime_json_path();
+    set_file_readonly(&dest, false);
     backup_steam_active_runtime();
     let pfx = profile.clone().prefix;
     let mut ar = build_profile_active_runtime(profile);
     // hack: relativize libopenxr_monado.so path for system installs
     if pfx == SYSTEM_PREFIX {
-        let path_s = get_active_runtime_json_path();
-        let path = Path::new(&path_s);
+        let path = Path::new(&dest);
         let mut rel_chain = path
             .components()
             .map(|_| String::from(".."))
@@ -146,6 +145,7 @@ pub fn set_current_active_runtime_to_profile(profile: &Profile) {
         );
     }
     dump_current_active_runtime(&ar);
+    set_file_readonly(&dest, true);
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/src/file_builders/openvrpaths_vrpath.rs b/src/file_builders/openvrpaths_vrpath.rs
index 725d8be..bbdee19 100644
--- a/src/file_builders/openvrpaths_vrpath.rs
+++ b/src/file_builders/openvrpaths_vrpath.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 use crate::{
     file_utils::{
-        deserialize_file, get_backup_dir, get_writer, get_xdg_config_dir, get_xdg_data_dir,
-        set_file_radonly,
+        copy_file, deserialize_file, get_backup_dir, get_writer, get_xdg_config_dir,
+        get_xdg_data_dir, set_file_readonly,
     },
     profile::Profile,
 };
 use expect_dialog::ExpectDialog;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
-use std::fs::copy;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct OpenVrPaths {
@@ -56,11 +55,10 @@ fn backup_steam_openvrpaths() {
     let openvrpaths = get_current_openvrpaths();
     if openvrpaths.is_some() {
         if is_steam(&openvrpaths.unwrap()) {
-            copy(
-                get_openvrpaths_vrpath_path(),
-                get_backup_steam_openvrpaths_path(),
-            )
-            .expect_dialog("Failed to back up openvrpaths.vrpath");
+            copy_file(
+                &get_openvrpaths_vrpath_path(),
+                &get_backup_steam_openvrpaths_path(),
+            );
         }
     }
 }
@@ -74,10 +72,8 @@ pub fn get_current_openvrpaths() -> Option<OpenVrPaths> {
 }
 
 fn dump_openvrpaths_to_path(ovr_paths: &OpenVrPaths, path_s: &String) {
-    set_file_radonly(path_s, false);
     let writer = get_writer(path_s);
     serde_json::to_writer_pretty(writer, ovr_paths).expect_dialog("Unable to save openvrpaths");
-    set_file_radonly(path_s, true);
 }
 
 pub fn dump_current_openvrpaths(ovr_paths: &OpenVrPaths) {
@@ -104,6 +100,7 @@ fn build_steam_openvrpaths() -> OpenVrPaths {
 }
 
 pub fn set_current_openvrpaths_to_steam() {
+    set_file_readonly(&get_openvrpaths_vrpath_path(), false);
     dump_current_openvrpaths(&build_steam_openvrpaths())
 }
 
@@ -123,8 +120,11 @@ pub fn build_profile_openvrpaths(profile: &Profile) -> OpenVrPaths {
 }
 
 pub fn set_current_openvrpaths_to_profile(profile: &Profile) {
+    let dest = get_openvrpaths_vrpath_path();
+    set_file_readonly(&dest, false);
     backup_steam_openvrpaths();
-    dump_current_openvrpaths(&build_profile_openvrpaths(profile))
+    dump_current_openvrpaths(&build_profile_openvrpaths(profile));
+    set_file_readonly(&dest, true);
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/src/file_utils.rs b/src/file_utils.rs
index 2204279..3735d13 100644
--- a/src/file_utils.rs
+++ b/src/file_utils.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use crate::{constants::CMD_NAME, runner::Runner};
 use expect_dialog::ExpectDialog;
 use std::{
     env,
-    fs::{self, create_dir_all, remove_dir_all, File, OpenOptions},
+    fs::{self, copy, create_dir_all, remove_dir_all, File, OpenOptions},
     io::{BufReader, BufWriter},
     path::Path,
 };
@@ -107,14 +107,17 @@ pub fn get_backup_dir() -> String {
     let p = Path::new(&p_s);
     if !p.is_dir() {
         if p.is_file() {
-            panic!("{} is a file but it should be a directory!", p.to_str().unwrap());
+            panic!(
+                "{} is a file but it should be a directory!",
+                p.to_str().unwrap()
+            );
         }
-        create_dir_all(p);
+        create_dir_all(p).expect_dialog("Failed to create backups dir");
     }
     p.to_str().unwrap().to_string()
 }
 
-pub fn set_file_radonly(path_s: &String, readonly: bool) {
+pub fn set_file_readonly(path_s: &String, readonly: bool) {
     let path = Path::new(&path_s);
     if !path.is_file() {
         println!("WARN: trying to set readonly on a file that does not exist");
@@ -160,3 +163,18 @@ pub fn rm_rf(path_s: &String) {
         Ok(_) => {}
     }
 }
+
+pub fn copy_file(source_s: &String, dest_s: &String) {
+    let source = Path::new(source_s);
+    let dest = Path::new(dest_s);
+    let parent = dest.parent();
+    if parent.is_some() {
+        if !parent.unwrap().is_dir() {
+            create_dir_all(parent.unwrap()).expect_dialog(
+                format!("Failed to create dir {}", parent.unwrap().to_str().unwrap()).as_str(),
+            );
+        }
+    }
+    set_file_readonly(dest_s, false);
+    copy(source, dest).expect_dialog(format!("Failed to copy {} to {}", source_s, dest_s).as_str());
+}