diff --git a/cmd/gonic/gonic.go b/cmd/gonic/gonic.go
index e445df4..4de7704 100644
--- a/cmd/gonic/gonic.go
+++ b/cmd/gonic/gonic.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/db"
+	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/paths"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/server"
 )
 
@@ -48,7 +50,7 @@ func main() {
 	confHTTPLog := set.Bool("http-log", true, "http request logging (optional)")
 	confShowVersion := set.Bool("version", false, "show gonic version")
 
-	var confMusicPaths musicPaths
+	var confMusicPaths paths.MusicPaths
 	set.Var(&confMusicPaths, "music-path", "path to music")
 
 	_ = set.String("config-path", "", "path to config (optional)")
@@ -77,8 +79,8 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("please provide a music directory")
 	}
 	for _, confMusicPath := range confMusicPaths {
-		if _, err := os.Stat(confMusicPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			log.Fatalf("music directory %q not found", confMusicPath)
+		if _, err := os.Stat(confMusicPath.Path); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			log.Fatalf("music directory %q not found", confMusicPath.Path)
 		}
 	}
 	if _, err := os.Stat(*confPodcastPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
@@ -109,7 +111,7 @@ func main() {
 	defer dbc.Close()
 
 	err = dbc.Migrate(db.MigrationContext{
-		OriginalMusicPath: confMusicPaths[0],
+		OriginalMusicPath: confMusicPaths[0].Path,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Panicf("error migrating database: %v\n", err)
@@ -120,11 +122,11 @@ func main() {
 	server, err := server.New(server.Options{
 		DB:             dbc,
 		MusicPaths:     confMusicPaths,
-		CachePath:      cacheDirAudio,
+		CachePath:      filepath.Clean(cacheDirAudio),
 		CoverCachePath: cacheDirCovers,
 		ProxyPrefix:    *confProxyPrefix,
 		GenreSplit:     *confGenreSplit,
-		PodcastPath:    *confPodcastPath,
+		PodcastPath:    filepath.Clean(*confPodcastPath),
 		HTTPLog:        *confHTTPLog,
 		JukeboxEnabled: *confJukeboxEnabled,
 	})
@@ -158,14 +160,3 @@ func main() {
 		log.Panicf("error in job: %v", err)
 	}
 }
-
-type musicPaths []string
-
-func (m musicPaths) String() string {
-	return strings.Join(m, ", ")
-}
-
-func (m *musicPaths) Set(value string) error {
-	*m = append(*m, value)
-	return nil
-}
diff --git a/paths/paths.go b/paths/paths.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34bc71e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/paths/paths.go
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+package paths
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+const sep = "->"
+
+type MusicPaths []MusicPath
+
+func (mps MusicPaths) String() string {
+	var strs []string
+	for _, path := range mps {
+		strs = append(strs, path.String())
+	}
+	return strings.Join(strs, ", ")
+}
+
+func (mps *MusicPaths) Set(value string) error {
+	alias, path, ok := strings.Cut(value, sep)
+	if !ok {
+		*mps = append(*mps, MusicPath{
+			Path: filepath.Clean(strings.TrimSpace(value)),
+		})
+		return nil
+	}
+	*mps = append(*mps, MusicPath{
+		Alias: strings.TrimSpace(alias),
+		Path:  filepath.Clean(strings.TrimSpace(path)),
+	})
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (mps MusicPaths) Paths() []string {
+	var paths []string
+	for _, mp := range mps {
+		paths = append(paths, mp.Path)
+	}
+	return paths
+}
+
+type MusicPath struct {
+	Alias string
+	Path  string
+}
+
+func (mp MusicPath) String() string {
+	if mp.Alias == "" {
+		return mp.Path
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s %s %s", mp.Alias, sep, mp.Path)
+}
+
+func (mp MusicPath) DisplayAlias() string {
+	if mp.Alias == "" {
+		return filepath.Base(mp.Path)
+	}
+	return mp.Alias
+}
diff --git a/server/ctrlsubsonic/ctrl.go b/server/ctrlsubsonic/ctrl.go
index 6049735..cce0aea 100644
--- a/server/ctrlsubsonic/ctrl.go
+++ b/server/ctrlsubsonic/ctrl.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/jukebox"
+	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/paths"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/podcasts"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/scrobble"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/server/ctrlbase"
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ type Controller struct {
 	CachePath      string
 	CoverCachePath string
 	PodcastsPath   string
-	MusicPaths     []string
+	MusicPaths     paths.MusicPaths
 	Jukebox        *jukebox.Jukebox
 	Scrobblers     []scrobble.Scrobbler
 	Podcasts       *podcasts.Podcasts
diff --git a/server/ctrlsubsonic/ctrl_test.go b/server/ctrlsubsonic/ctrl_test.go
index 6305523..2427f5d 100644
--- a/server/ctrlsubsonic/ctrl_test.go
+++ b/server/ctrlsubsonic/ctrl_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/db"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/mockfs"
+	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/paths"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/server/ctrlbase"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/server/ctrlsubsonic/params"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/transcode"
@@ -158,9 +159,9 @@ func makec(t *testing.T, roots []string, audio bool) *Controller {
 	m.ScanAndClean()
 	m.ResetDates()
 
-	var absRoots []string
+	var absRoots paths.MusicPaths
 	for _, root := range roots {
-		absRoots = append(absRoots, filepath.Join(m.TmpDir(), root))
+		absRoots = append(absRoots, paths.MusicPath{Alias: "", Path: filepath.Join(m.TmpDir(), root)})
 	}
 
 	base := &ctrlbase.Controller{DB: m.DB()}
diff --git a/server/ctrlsubsonic/handlers_common.go b/server/ctrlsubsonic/handlers_common.go
index 3a3c419..e23430d 100644
--- a/server/ctrlsubsonic/handlers_common.go
+++ b/server/ctrlsubsonic/handlers_common.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/db"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/multierr"
+	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/paths"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/scanner"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/server/ctrlsubsonic/params"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/server/ctrlsubsonic/spec"
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ func lowerUDecOrHash(in string) string {
 	return string(lower)
 }
 
-func getMusicFolder(musicPaths []string, p params.Params) string {
+func getMusicFolder(musicPaths paths.MusicPaths, p params.Params) string {
 	idx, err := p.GetInt("musicFolderId")
 	if err != nil {
 		return ""
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ func getMusicFolder(musicPaths []string, p params.Params) string {
 	if idx < 0 || idx > len(musicPaths) {
 		return ""
 	}
-	return musicPaths[idx]
+	return musicPaths[idx].Path
 }
 
 func (c *Controller) ServeGetLicence(r *http.Request) *spec.Response {
@@ -91,7 +92,7 @@ func (c *Controller) ServeGetMusicFolders(r *http.Request) *spec.Response {
 	sub.MusicFolders = &spec.MusicFolders{}
 	sub.MusicFolders.List = make([]*spec.MusicFolder, len(c.MusicPaths))
 	for i, path := range c.MusicPaths {
-		sub.MusicFolders.List[i] = &spec.MusicFolder{ID: i, Name: filepath.Base(path)}
+		sub.MusicFolders.List[i] = &spec.MusicFolder{ID: i, Name: path.DisplayAlias()}
 	}
 	return sub
 }
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 730739a..c154f25 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
@@ -14,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/db"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/jukebox"
+	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/paths"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/podcasts"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/scanner"
 	"go.senan.xyz/gonic/scanner/tags"
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import (
 
 type Options struct {
 	DB             *db.DB
-	MusicPaths     []string
+	MusicPaths     paths.MusicPaths
 	PodcastPath    string
 	CachePath      string
 	CoverCachePath string
@@ -48,15 +48,9 @@ type Server struct {
 }
 
 func New(opts Options) (*Server, error) {
-	for i, musicPath := range opts.MusicPaths {
-		opts.MusicPaths[i] = filepath.Clean(musicPath)
-	}
-	opts.CachePath = filepath.Clean(opts.CachePath)
-	opts.PodcastPath = filepath.Clean(opts.PodcastPath)
-
 	tagger := &tags.TagReader{}
 
-	scanner := scanner.New(opts.MusicPaths, opts.DB, opts.GenreSplit, tagger)
+	scanner := scanner.New(opts.MusicPaths.Paths(), opts.DB, opts.GenreSplit, tagger)
 	base := &ctrlbase.Controller{
 		DB:          opts.DB,
 		ProxyPrefix: opts.ProxyPrefix,