diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 39e4f68..6f891f6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -77,10 +77,14 @@ STORE_CONFIG=./my-config.json ./install.sh
 ```
 
 It reads `store.id` from the config, installs the engine, the shared core and the
-config into `~/.local/share/warp-engine-store/<id>/`, writes a
+config into `~/.local/share/warp-engine-store/<id>-retroarch/`, writes a
 `<id>-retroarch-store` launcher into `~/.local/bin`, prints the paths it resolved
 and runs the first sync.
 
+The store home is `<id>-retroarch`, not `<id>`: the desktop store engine shares
+this root, and a shared home would mean a shared `config.json` and `state.json`.
+An install from before this change is moved on the next run of the installer.
+
 | Environment variable | Meaning |
 |---|---|
 | `STORE_CONFIG` | **required** — path or URL of the store's `config.json` |
@@ -159,7 +163,7 @@ curl -fsSL https://git.teletypegames.org/engines/warpstore/raw/branch/master/uni
 ## Where things land
 
 ```
-~/.local/share/warp-engine-store/example/
+~/.local/share/warp-engine-store/example-retroarch/
 ├── retroarch_store.py, warpstore.py, config.json
 └── state.json, catalog.json
 
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index ebe67bc..a1a0c93 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -57,9 +57,18 @@ print(sid, cfg.get("name") or sid)
 STORE_ID="${STORE_META%% *}"
 STORE_NAME="${STORE_META#* }"
 
-STORE_HOME="$STORE_ROOT/$STORE_ID"
+# One home per engine: the desktop store shares this root, and a shared home
+# would mean a shared config.json and state.json.
+STORE_HOME="$STORE_ROOT/$STORE_ID-retroarch"
 LAUNCHER="$BIN_DIR/$STORE_ID-retroarch-store"
 
+# Installs from before the rename kept the home under the bare store id.
+LEGACY_HOME="$STORE_ROOT/$STORE_ID"
+if [ -d "$LEGACY_HOME" ] && [ -f "$LEGACY_HOME/retroarch_store.py" ] && [ ! -d "$STORE_HOME" ]; then
+  say "moving $LEGACY_HOME -> $STORE_HOME (one home per engine)"
+  mv "$LEGACY_HOME" "$STORE_HOME"
+fi
+
 mkdir -p "$STORE_HOME" "$BIN_DIR"
 
 install_file() {  # install_file <name> <raw base> [local override]
diff --git a/uninstall.sh b/uninstall.sh
index 45c1e55..2d804ba 100755
--- a/uninstall.sh
+++ b/uninstall.sh
@@ -51,8 +51,10 @@ if [ -z "$STORE_ID" ]; then
   FOUND=""
   COUNT=0
   for d in "$STORE_ROOT"/*/; do
-    if [ -f "$d/config.json" ]; then
-      FOUND="$FOUND $(basename "$d")"
+    if [ -f "$d/retroarch_store.py" ]; then
+      # `<id>-retroarch` is the home; the store id is what the user types.
+      name="$(basename "$d")"
+      FOUND="$FOUND ${name%-retroarch}"
       COUNT=$((COUNT + 1))
     fi
   done
@@ -63,7 +65,9 @@ if [ -z "$STORE_ID" ]; then
   esac
 fi
 
-STORE_HOME="$STORE_ROOT/$STORE_ID"
+STORE_HOME="$STORE_ROOT/$STORE_ID-retroarch"
+# Installs from before the rename kept the home under the bare store id.
+[ -d "$STORE_HOME" ] || [ ! -f "$STORE_ROOT/$STORE_ID/retroarch_store.py" ] || STORE_HOME="$STORE_ROOT/$STORE_ID"
 LAUNCHER="$BIN_DIR/$STORE_ID-retroarch-store"
 [ -d "$STORE_HOME" ] || die "no store '$STORE_ID' in $STORE_ROOT"