diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 1c52557..c6248ed 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -189,9 +189,9 @@ pub fn default_show_toolbar() -> bool {
 pub fn default_project_template() -> PathBuf {
     // Find the bundled template relative to the executable's location
     if let Ok(exe_path) = std::env::current_exe() {
-        // Walk up from the executable looking for templates/snowflake/cookiecutter.json
+        // Walk up from the executable's directory looking for templates/snowflake/cookiecutter.json
         // This handles various build configurations (release, debug, cargo run, installed binary)
-        let mut current = exe_path.as_path();
+        let mut current = exe_path.parent().unwrap_or_else(|| exe_path.as_path());
         loop {
             // Check if current/templates/snowflake/cookiecutter.json exists
             let candidate = current.join("templates/snowflake");