diff --git a/launcher/BaseInstance.cpp b/launcher/BaseInstance.cpp
index 1aa01568c..2187bc09a 100644
--- a/launcher/BaseInstance.cpp
+++ b/launcher/BaseInstance.cpp
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ BaseInstance::BaseInstance(SettingsObjectPtr globalSettings, SettingsObjectPtr s
     m_settings->registerSetting("lastTimePlayed", 0);
 
     m_settings->registerSetting("linkedInstances", "[]");
+    m_settings->registerSetting("shortcuts", QVariant::fromValue(QList<ShortcutData>{}));
 
     // Game time override
     auto gameTimeOverride = m_settings->registerSetting("OverrideGameTime", false);
@@ -400,13 +401,21 @@ bool BaseInstance::syncInstanceDirName(const QString& newRoot) const
 
 void BaseInstance::registerShortcut(const ShortcutData& data)
 {
-    m_shortcuts.append(data);
+    auto currentShortcuts = shortcuts();
+    currentShortcuts.append(data);
     qDebug() << "Registering shortcut for instance" << id() << "with name" << data.name << "and path" << data.filePath;
+    setShortcuts(currentShortcuts);
 }
 
-QList<ShortcutData>& BaseInstance::getShortcuts()
+void BaseInstance::setShortcuts(const QList<ShortcutData>& shortcuts)
 {
-    return m_shortcuts;
+    // FIXME: if no change, do not set. setting involves saving a file.
+    m_settings->set("shortcuts", QVariant::fromValue(shortcuts));
+}
+
+QList<ShortcutData> BaseInstance::shortcuts() const
+{
+    return m_settings->get("shortcuts").value<QList<ShortcutData>>();
 }
 
 QString BaseInstance::name() const
diff --git a/launcher/BaseInstance.h b/launcher/BaseInstance.h
index d2ff64e7e..52aa39067 100644
--- a/launcher/BaseInstance.h
+++ b/launcher/BaseInstance.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #pragma once
 #include <cassert>
 
+#include <QDataStream>
 #include <QDateTime>
 #include <QList>
 #include <QMenu>
@@ -74,7 +75,18 @@ enum class ShortcutTarget { Desktop, Applications, Other };
 struct ShortcutData {
     QString name;
     QString filePath;
-    ShortcutTarget target;
+    ShortcutTarget target = ShortcutTarget::Other;
+
+    friend QDataStream& operator<<(QDataStream& out, const ShortcutData& data)
+    {
+        out << data.name << data.filePath << data.target;
+        return out;
+    }
+    friend QDataStream& operator>>(QDataStream& in, ShortcutData& data)
+    {
+        in >> data.name >> data.filePath >> data.target;
+        return in;
+    }
 };
 
 /*!
@@ -142,7 +154,8 @@ class BaseInstance : public QObject, public std::enable_shared_from_this<BaseIns
 
     /// Register a created shortcut
     void registerShortcut(const ShortcutData& data);
-    QList<ShortcutData>& getShortcuts();
+    QList<ShortcutData> shortcuts() const;
+    void setShortcuts(const QList<ShortcutData>& shortcuts);
 
     /// Value used for instance window titles
     QString windowTitle() const;
@@ -323,10 +336,9 @@ class BaseInstance : public QObject, public std::enable_shared_from_this<BaseIns
 
     SettingsObjectWeakPtr m_global_settings;
     bool m_specific_settings_loaded = false;
-
-    QList<ShortcutData> m_shortcuts;
 };
 
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(shared_qobject_ptr<BaseInstance>)
+Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(ShortcutData)
 // Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(BaseInstance::InstanceFlag)
 // Q_DECLARE_OPERATORS_FOR_FLAGS(BaseInstance::InstanceFlags)
diff --git a/launcher/InstanceList.cpp b/launcher/InstanceList.cpp
index ef8be4919..b98f51d82 100644
--- a/launcher/InstanceList.cpp
+++ b/launcher/InstanceList.cpp
@@ -357,25 +357,20 @@ bool InstanceList::trashInstance(const InstanceId& id)
     m_trashHistory.push({ id, inst->instanceRoot(), trashedLoc, cachedGroupId });
 
     // Also trash all of its shortcuts; we remove the shortcuts if trash fails since it is invalid anyway
-    auto& shortcuts = inst->getShortcuts();
-    for (auto it = shortcuts.begin(); it != shortcuts.end();) {
-        const auto& [name, filePath, target] = *it;
+    for (const auto& [name, filePath, target] : inst->shortcuts()) {
         if (!FS::trash(filePath, &trashedLoc)) {
             qWarning() << "Trash of shortcut" << name << "at path" << filePath << "for instance" << id
                        << "has not been successful, trying to delete it instead...";
             if (!FS::deletePath(filePath)) {
                 qWarning() << "Deletion of shortcut" << name << "at path" << filePath << "for instance" << id
                            << "has not been successful, given up...";
-                ++it;
             } else {
                 qDebug() << "Shortcut" << name << "at path" << filePath << "for instance" << id << "has been deleted by the launcher.";
-                it = shortcuts.erase(it);
             }
             continue;
         }
         qDebug() << "Shortcut" << name << "at path" << filePath << "for instance" << id << "has been trashed by the launcher.";
-        m_trashHistory.top().shortcuts.append({ *it, trashedLoc });
-        it = shortcuts.erase(it);
+        m_trashHistory.top().shortcuts.append({ { name, filePath, target }, trashedLoc });
     }
 
     return true;
@@ -453,7 +448,7 @@ void InstanceList::deleteInstance(const InstanceId& id)
 
     qDebug() << "Instance" << id << "has been deleted by the launcher.";
 
-    for (const auto& [name, filePath, target] : inst->getShortcuts()) {
+    for (const auto& [name, filePath, target] : inst->shortcuts()) {
         if (!FS::deletePath(filePath)) {
             qWarning() << "Deletion of shortcut" << name << "at path" << filePath << "for instance" << id << "has not been successful...";
             continue;
@@ -675,6 +670,7 @@ InstancePtr InstanceList::loadInstance(const InstanceId& id)
     }
 
     auto instanceRoot = FS::PathCombine(m_instDir, id);
+    qRegisterMetaType<QList<ShortcutData>>("QList<ShortcutData>");
     auto instanceSettings = std::make_shared<INISettingsObject>(FS::PathCombine(instanceRoot, "instance.cfg"));
     InstancePtr inst;
 
@@ -690,6 +686,22 @@ InstancePtr InstanceList::loadInstance(const InstanceId& id)
         inst.reset(new NullInstance(m_globalSettings, instanceSettings, instanceRoot));
     }
     qDebug() << "Loaded instance" << inst->name() << "from" << inst->instanceRoot();
+
+    // Fixup the shortcuts by pruning all non-existing links
+    auto shortcut = inst->shortcuts();
+    for (auto it = shortcut.begin(); it != shortcut.end();) {
+        const auto& [name, filePath, target] = *it;
+        if (!QDir(filePath).exists()) {
+            qWarning() << "Shortcut" << name << "have non-existent path" << filePath;
+            it = shortcut.erase(it);
+            continue;
+        }
+        ++it;
+    }
+    inst->setShortcuts(shortcut);
+    if (!shortcut.isEmpty())
+        qDebug() << "Loaded" << shortcut.size() << "shortcut(s) for instance" << inst->name();
+
     return inst;
 }
 
diff --git a/launcher/minecraft/MinecraftInstance.cpp b/launcher/minecraft/MinecraftInstance.cpp
index 635cecfac..72c863bdb 100644
--- a/launcher/minecraft/MinecraftInstance.cpp
+++ b/launcher/minecraft/MinecraftInstance.cpp
@@ -1040,6 +1040,10 @@ QString MinecraftInstance::getStatusbarDescription()
                     .arg(Time::prettifyDuration(totalTimePlayed(), APPLICATION->settings()->get("ShowGameTimeWithoutDays").toBool())));
         }
     }
+    auto currentShortcuts = shortcuts();
+    if (!currentShortcuts.isEmpty()) {
+        description.append(tr(", %n shortcut(s) registered", "", currentShortcuts.size()));
+    }
     if (hasCrashed()) {
         description.append(tr(", has crashed."));
     }