diff --git a/crates/lanspread-db/src/db.rs b/crates/lanspread-db/src/db.rs
index 491c485..eff0180 100644
--- a/crates/lanspread-db/src/db.rs
+++ b/crates/lanspread-db/src/db.rs
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ pub struct Game {
     #[serde(default)]
     pub downloaded: bool,
     /// only relevant for client (yeah... I know)
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub installed: bool,
     /// ETI game version from version.ini (YYYYMMDD format) (server)
     pub eti_game_version: Option<String>,
@@ -214,3 +215,37 @@ impl fmt::Debug for GameFileDescription {
         )
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use serde_json::json;
+
+    use super::Game;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn installed_defaults_to_false_when_missing() {
+        let raw = json!({
+            "id": "aoe2",
+            "name": "Age of Empires II",
+            "description": "desc",
+            "release_year": "1999",
+            "publisher": "Microsoft",
+            "max_players": 8,
+            "version": "1.0",
+            "genre": "RTS",
+            "size": 123456,
+            "thumbnail": null,
+            "downloaded": true,
+            "eti_game_version": "20240101",
+            "local_version": null,
+            "peer_count": 2
+        })
+        .to_string();
+
+        let game: Game = serde_json::from_str(&raw).expect("game should deserialize");
+        assert!(
+            !game.installed,
+            "missing installed flag should default to false"
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/lanspread-peer/src/lib.rs b/crates/lanspread-peer/src/lib.rs
index 5d39b36..5113819 100644
--- a/crates/lanspread-peer/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/lanspread-peer/src/lib.rs
@@ -1117,31 +1117,38 @@ async fn load_local_game_db(game_dir: &str) -> eyre::Result<GameDB> {
                 continue;
             }
 
-            if !local_dir_has_content(&path).await {
-                continue;
-            }
+            let installed = local_dir_has_content(&path).await;
+            let local_version = if installed {
+                match lanspread_db::db::read_version_from_ini(&path) {
+                    Ok(version) => version,
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        log::warn!("Failed to read version.ini for installed game {game_id}: {e}");
+                        None
+                    }
+                }
+            } else {
+                None
+            };
 
-            if let Ok(version) = lanspread_db::db::read_version_from_ini(&path) {
-                let size = calculate_directory_size(&path).await?;
-                let game = Game {
-                    id: game_id.to_string(),
-                    name: game_id.to_string(),
-                    description: String::new(),
-                    release_year: String::new(),
-                    publisher: String::new(),
-                    max_players: 1,
-                    version: "1.0".to_string(),
-                    genre: String::new(),
-                    size,
-                    thumbnail: None,
-                    downloaded,
-                    installed: true,
-                    eti_game_version: version.clone(),
-                    local_version: version,
-                    peer_count: 0, // Local games start with 0 peers
-                };
-                games.push(game);
-            }
+            let size = calculate_directory_size(&path).await?;
+            let game = Game {
+                id: game_id.to_string(),
+                name: game_id.to_string(),
+                description: String::new(),
+                release_year: String::new(),
+                publisher: String::new(),
+                max_players: 1,
+                version: "1.0".to_string(),
+                genre: String::new(),
+                size,
+                thumbnail: None,
+                downloaded,
+                installed,
+                eti_game_version: local_version.clone(),
+                local_version,
+                peer_count: 0, // Local games start with 0 peers
+            };
+            games.push(game);
         }
     }