diff --git a/BepInEx.Core/Bootstrap/TypeLoader.cs b/BepInEx.Core/Bootstrap/TypeLoader.cs
index 2f1e4f4..3bc5a3b 100644
--- a/BepInEx.Core/Bootstrap/TypeLoader.cs
+++ b/BepInEx.Core/Bootstrap/TypeLoader.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-using System;
+using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
@@ -91,10 +91,19 @@ namespace BepInEx.Bootstrap
                 Utility.TryResolveDllAssembly(name, Paths.ManagedPath, ReaderParameters, out assembly))
                 return assembly;
 
-            return
-                SearchDirectories.Any(dir => Utility.TryResolveDllAssembly(name, dir, ReaderParameters, out assembly))
-                    ? assembly
-                    : AssemblyResolve?.Invoke(sender, reference);
+            foreach (var dir in SearchDirectories)
+            {
+                if (!Directory.Exists(dir))
+                {
+                    Logger.LogDebug($"Unable to resolve cecil search directory '{dir}'");
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                if (Utility.TryResolveDllAssembly(name, dir, ReaderParameters, out assembly))
+                    return assembly;
+            }
+
+            return AssemblyResolve?.Invoke(sender, reference);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
diff --git a/BepInEx.Core/Utility.cs b/BepInEx.Core/Utility.cs
index 831b00b..9ec52f0 100644
--- a/BepInEx.Core/Utility.cs
+++ b/BepInEx.Core/Utility.cs
@@ -176,6 +176,9 @@ namespace BepInEx
 
             var potentialDirectories = new List<string> {directory};
 
+			if (!Directory.Exists(directory))
+				return false;
+
             potentialDirectories.AddRange(Directory.GetDirectories(directory, "*", SearchOption.AllDirectories));
 
             foreach (var subDirectory in potentialDirectories)
diff --git a/BepInEx.NetLauncher/NetPreloader.cs b/BepInEx.NetLauncher/NetPreloader.cs
index 0402cf3..c382c5f 100644
--- a/BepInEx.NetLauncher/NetPreloader.cs
+++ b/BepInEx.NetLauncher/NetPreloader.cs
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@
 using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Reflection;
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
 using BepInEx.Bootstrap;
 using BepInEx.Configuration;
 using BepInEx.Logging;
 using BepInEx.NetLauncher.RuntimeFixes;
 using BepInEx.Preloader.Core;
 using BepInEx.Preloader.Core.Logging;
+using MonoMod.Utils;
 
 namespace BepInEx.NetLauncher
 {
@@ -15,21 +17,15 @@ namespace BepInEx.NetLauncher
     {
         private static readonly ManualLogSource Log = PreloaderLogger.Log;
 
-        #region Config
-
-        private static readonly ConfigEntry<string> ConfigEntrypointExecutable = ConfigFile.CoreConfig.Bind<string>(
-         "Preloader.Entrypoint", "Assembly",
-         null,
-         "The local filename of the .NET executable to target.");
-
-        #endregion
+        [DllImport("Kernel32.dll")]
+        private static extern bool SetDllDirectory([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTStr)] string lpPathName);
 
 
         public static void Start(string[] args)
         {
             if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(ConfigEntrypointExecutable.Value))
             {
-                Log.LogFatal("Entry executable was not set. Please set this in your config before launching the application");
+                Log.LogFatal($"Entry executable was not set. Please set this in your config before launching the application");
                 Program.ReadExit();
                 return;
             }
@@ -43,9 +39,18 @@ namespace BepInEx.NetLauncher
                 return;
             }
 
+
             Paths.SetExecutablePath(executablePath);
             Program.ResolveDirectories.Add(Paths.GameRootPath);
-            TypeLoader.SearchDirectories.Add(Paths.GameRootPath);
+
+            foreach (var searchDir in Program.ResolveDirectories)
+                TypeLoader.SearchDirectories.Add(searchDir);
+
+            if (PlatformHelper.Is(Platform.Windows))
+            {
+                SetDllDirectory(Paths.GameRootPath);
+            }
+
 
             Logger.Sources.Add(TraceLogSource.CreateSource());
 
@@ -81,7 +86,7 @@ namespace BepInEx.NetLauncher
                 }
                 else
                 {
-                    Log.LogDebug("Using entrypoint assembly from disk");
+                    Log.LogDebug("Using entrypoint assembly from disk"); 
                     entrypointAssembly = Assembly.LoadFrom(executablePath);
                 }
             }
@@ -95,7 +100,16 @@ namespace BepInEx.NetLauncher
 
             AssemblyFix.Execute(entrypointAssembly);
 
-            entrypointAssembly.EntryPoint.Invoke(null, new[] {args});
+            entrypointAssembly.EntryPoint.Invoke(null, new [] { args });
         }
+
+        #region Config
+
+        private static readonly ConfigEntry<string> ConfigEntrypointExecutable = ConfigFile.CoreConfig.Bind<string>(
+            "Preloader.Entrypoint", "Assembly",
+            null,
+            "The local filename of the .NET executable to target.");
+
+        #endregion
     }
 }
diff --git a/BepInEx.NetLauncher/Program.cs b/BepInEx.NetLauncher/Program.cs
index e95db24..3887d06 100644
--- a/BepInEx.NetLauncher/Program.cs
+++ b/BepInEx.NetLauncher/Program.cs
@@ -78,14 +78,16 @@ namespace BepInEx.NetLauncher
                 string filename;
 
 #if DEBUG
-				filename =
- Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), Path.GetFileName(Process.GetCurrentProcess().MainModule.FileName));
+                filename = Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), Path.GetFileName(Process.GetCurrentProcess().MainModule.FileName));
+                ResolveDirectories.Add(Path.GetDirectoryName(filename));
 
+                // for debugging within VS
+                ResolveDirectories.Add(Path.GetDirectoryName(Process.GetCurrentProcess().MainModule.FileName));
 #else
                 filename = Process.GetCurrentProcess().MainModule.FileName;
+                ResolveDirectories.Add(Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(filename), "BepInEx", "Core"));
 #endif
 
-                ResolveDirectories.Add(Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(filename), "BepInEx", "Core"));
 
                 AppDomain.CurrentDomain.AssemblyResolve += RemoteResolve;
 
@@ -105,7 +107,10 @@ namespace BepInEx.NetLauncher
 
             foreach (var directory in ResolveDirectories)
             {
-                var potentialDirectories = new List<string> {directory};
+                if (!Directory.Exists(directory))
+                    continue;
+
+                var potentialDirectories = new List<string> { directory };
 
                 potentialDirectories.AddRange(Directory.GetDirectories(directory, "*", SearchOption.AllDirectories));
 
@@ -120,7 +125,16 @@ namespace BepInEx.NetLauncher
                     if (!File.Exists(path))
                         continue;
 
-                    var assembly = Assembly.LoadFrom(path);
+                    Assembly assembly;
+
+                    try
+                    {
+                        assembly = Assembly.LoadFrom(path);
+                    }
+                    catch (Exception ex)
+                    {
+                        continue;
+                    }
 
                     if (assembly.GetName().Name == assemblyName.Name)
                         return assembly;
diff --git a/BepInEx.NetLauncher/Utility.cs b/BepInEx.NetLauncher/Utility.cs
index 7691f3a..38059f0 100644
--- a/BepInEx.NetLauncher/Utility.cs
+++ b/BepInEx.NetLauncher/Utility.cs
@@ -22,7 +22,10 @@ namespace BepInEx.NetLauncher
         {
             assembly = null;
 
-            var potentialDirectories = new List<string> {directory};
+            if (!Directory.Exists(directory))
+                return false;
+
+            var potentialDirectories = new List<string> { directory };
 
             potentialDirectories.AddRange(Directory.GetDirectories(directory, "*", SearchOption.AllDirectories));
 
diff --git a/BepInEx.Preloader.Core/Patching/AssemblyPatcher.cs b/BepInEx.Preloader.Core/Patching/AssemblyPatcher.cs
index 5d64b00..abbb5a2 100644
--- a/BepInEx.Preloader.Core/Patching/AssemblyPatcher.cs
+++ b/BepInEx.Preloader.Core/Patching/AssemblyPatcher.cs
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ namespace BepInEx.Preloader.Core
         {
             try
             {
-                assembly = AssemblyDefinition.ReadAssembly(path);
+				assembly = AssemblyDefinition.ReadAssembly(path, TypeLoader.ReaderParameters);
                 return true;
             }
             catch (BadImageFormatException)