diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
index 82c8e8d7..113e99c5 100644
--- a/internal/config/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -7,10 +7,40 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/pelletier/go-toml/v2"
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
+// TestLoadFirstRunAfterConfigDirRecreated reproduces the scenario where a user
+// deletes ~/.config/lstk/ and then runs lstk. newLogger() recreates the directory
+// (for lstk.log) before config.Load() is called, so Load() must detect the
+// MISSING FILE — not just the directory — to correctly set firstRun=true.
+func TestLoadFirstRunAfterConfigDirRecreated(t *testing.T) {
+	// Cannot run in parallel: mutates process-wide HOME env and viper state.
+	fakeHome := t.TempDir()
+	t.Setenv("HOME", fakeHome)
+	t.Setenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME", "")
+	viper.Reset()
+	t.Cleanup(viper.Reset)
+
+	// ~/.config/ exists so the creation dir is ~/.config/lstk (not the OS default).
+	homeConfig := filepath.Join(fakeHome, ".config")
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(homeConfig, 0755))
+
+	// Simulate newLogger() recreating ~/.config/lstk/ (with a log file) after
+	// the user deleted the whole directory but before config.Load() runs.
+	configDir := filepath.Join(homeConfig, "lstk")
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(configDir, 0755))
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(configDir, "lstk.log"), []byte("log\n"), 0600))
+	// config.toml is intentionally absent — the user deleted it along with the dir.
+
+	firstRun, err := Load()
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, firstRun, "Load() should return firstRun=true when the config directory exists but config.toml does not")
+}
+
 func TestSetInFileAppendsWhenKeyAbsent(t *testing.T) {
 	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.toml")
 	original := `# User comment
diff --git a/test/integration/emulator_select_test.go b/test/integration/emulator_select_test.go
index 2a992564..deb638c5 100644
--- a/test/integration/emulator_select_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/emulator_select_test.go
@@ -293,6 +293,61 @@ func TestEmulatorSelectionReappearsAfterFailedFirstRun(t *testing.T) {
 	<-outputCh
 }
 
+// Deleting the config directory after a successful run must trigger the emulator
+// selector again on the next run — the selector is gated on the config file being
+// absent, so the directory alone must not count as "already configured".
+func TestEmulatorSelectionReappearsAfterConfigDirDeleted(t *testing.T) {
+	requireDocker(t)
+	t.Parallel()
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		t.Skip("PTY not supported on Windows")
+	}
+
+	tmpHome := t.TempDir()
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(tmpHome, ".config"), 0755))
+	e := env.Environ(testEnvWithHome(tmpHome, tmpHome)).
+		With(env.DisableEvents, "1").
+		With(env.AuthToken, "test-token")
+
+	// Resolve where lstk would create the config, then pre-create it so lstk
+	// believes this is not a first run (simulates a previous successful start).
+	configPath, _, err := runLstk(t, testContext(t), "", e, "config", "path")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(configPath), 0755))
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(configPath, []byte("[[containers]]\ntype = \"aws\"\ntag = \"latest\"\nport = \"4566\"\n"), 0644))
+	require.FileExists(t, configPath)
+
+	// Delete the entire config directory — this is what the user reported.
+	require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(filepath.Dir(configPath)))
+	require.NoFileExists(t, configPath)
+
+	// The next run must show the emulator selector again, not silently default to AWS.
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 15*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, binaryPath(), "start")
+	cmd.Env = e
+
+	ptmx, err := pty.Start(cmd)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to start lstk in PTY")
+	defer func() { _ = ptmx.Close() }()
+
+	out := &syncBuffer{}
+	outputCh := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		_, _ = io.Copy(out, ptmx)
+		close(outputCh)
+	}()
+
+	require.Eventually(t, func() bool {
+		return bytes.Contains(out.Bytes(), []byte("Which emulator would you like to use?"))
+	}, 10*time.Second, 100*time.Millisecond,
+		"emulator selection prompt should reappear after the config directory is deleted")
+
+	cancel()
+	<-outputCh
+}
+
 func TestFirstRunChecksDockerBeforeAuthAndSelection(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {