diff --git a/client/server/panic_windows.go b/client/server/panic_windows.go
index 1d4ba4b75..c5e73be7c 100644
--- a/client/server/panic_windows.go
+++ b/client/server/panic_windows.go
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ package server
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
+	"path"
 	"syscall"
 
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	windowsPanicLogEnvVar = "NB_WINDOWS_PANIC_LOG"
 	// STD_ERROR_HANDLE ((DWORD)-12) = 4294967284
 	stdErrorHandle = ^uintptr(11)
 )
@@ -25,13 +24,10 @@ var (
 )
 
 func handlePanicLog() error {
-	logPath := os.Getenv(windowsPanicLogEnvVar)
-	if logPath == "" {
-		return nil
-	}
+	// TODO: move this to a central location
+	logDir := path.Join(os.Getenv("PROGRAMDATA"), "Netbird")
+	logPath := path.Join(logDir, "netbird.err")
 
-	// Ensure the directory exists
-	logDir := filepath.Dir(logPath)
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(logDir, 0750); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("create panic log directory: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -39,13 +35,11 @@ func handlePanicLog() error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("enforce permission on panic log file: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Open log file with append mode
 	f, err := os.OpenFile(logPath, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_APPEND, 0644)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("open panic log file: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Redirect stderr to the file
 	if err = redirectStderr(f); err != nil {
 		if closeErr := f.Close(); closeErr != nil {
 			log.Warnf("failed to close file after redirect error: %v", closeErr)
@@ -59,7 +53,6 @@ func handlePanicLog() error {
 
 // redirectStderr redirects stderr to the provided file
 func redirectStderr(f *os.File) error {
-	// Get the current process's stderr handle
 	if err := setStdHandle(f); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to set stderr handle: %w", err)
 	}