diff --git a/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelloader.cpp b/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelloader.cpp
index 4c4f53fca..c2aa08242 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelloader.cpp
+++ b/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelloader.cpp
@@ -133,6 +133,13 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             emit this->loadingFinished(status, simInfo, CacheLoaded);
         }
 
+        QStringList IAircraftModelLoader::getInitializedModelDirectories(const QStringList &modelDirectories, const CSimulatorInfo &simulator) const
+        {
+            QStringList modelDirs = modelDirectories.isEmpty() ? m_settings.getModelDirectoriesOrDefault(simulator) : modelDirectories;
+            modelDirs = CFileUtils::fixWindowsUncPaths(modelDirs);
+            return CDirectoryUtils::getExistingUnemptyDirectories(modelDirs);
+        }
+
         QStringList IAircraftModelLoader::getModelDirectoriesOrDefault() const
         {
             const QStringList mdirs = m_settings.getModelDirectoriesOrDefault(this->getSimulator());
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelloader.h b/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelloader.h
index 9ac45fd29..817825885 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelloader.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelloader.h
@@ -198,6 +198,9 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             //! A cache has been changed
             void cacheChanged(const CSimulatorInfo &simInfo);
 
+            //! Get model directories from settings if empty, otherwise checked and UNC path fixed
+            QStringList getInitializedModelDirectories(const QStringList &modelDirectories, const CSimulatorInfo &simulator) const;
+
             std::atomic<bool> m_cancelLoading { false };            //!< flag, requesting to cancel loading
             std::atomic<bool> m_loadingInProgress { false };        //!< Loading in progress
             std::atomic<bool> m_skipLoadingEmptyModelDir { true };  //!< Loading empty model dirs might erase the cache, so normally we skip it