diff --git a/certbot/compat.py b/certbot/compat.py
index d42febe81..7e509206f 100644
--- a/certbot/compat.py
+++ b/certbot/compat.py
@@ -172,3 +172,30 @@ def compare_file_modes(mode1, mode2):
     # Windows specific: most of mode bits are ignored on Windows. Only check user R/W rights.
     return (stat.S_IMODE(mode1) & stat.S_IREAD == stat.S_IMODE(mode2) & stat.S_IREAD
             and stat.S_IMODE(mode1) & stat.S_IWRITE == stat.S_IMODE(mode2) & stat.S_IWRITE)
+
+WINDOWS_DEFAULT_FOLDERS = {
+    'config': 'C:\\Certbot',
+    'work': 'C:\\Certbot\\lib',
+    'logs': 'C:\\Certbot\\log',
+}
+LINUX_DEFAULT_FOLDERS = {
+    'config': '/etc/letsencrypt',
+    'work': '/var/letsencrypt/lib',
+    'logs': '/var/letsencrypt/log',
+}
+
+def get_default_folder(folder_type):
+    """
+    Return the relevant default folder for the current OS
+
+    :param str folder_type: The type of folder to retrieve (config, work or logs)
+
+    :returns: The relevant default folder.
+    :rtype: str
+
+    """
+    if 'fcntl' in sys.modules:
+        # Linux specific
+        return LINUX_DEFAULT_FOLDERS[folder_type]
+    # Windows specific
+    return WINDOWS_DEFAULT_FOLDERS[folder_type]
diff --git a/certbot/constants.py b/certbot/constants.py
index a2de2d27a..5bf68589d 100644
--- a/certbot/constants.py
+++ b/certbot/constants.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import os
 import pkg_resources
 
 from acme import challenges
-
+from certbot import compat
 
 SETUPTOOLS_PLUGINS_ENTRY_POINT = "certbot.plugins"
 """Setuptools entry point group name for plugins."""
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ OLD_SETUPTOOLS_PLUGINS_ENTRY_POINT = "letsencrypt.plugins"
 
 CLI_DEFAULTS = dict(
     config_files=[
-        "/etc/letsencrypt/cli.ini",
+        os.path.join(compat.get_default_folder('config'), 'cli.ini'),
         # http://freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/xdg-user-dirs/
         os.path.join(os.environ.get("XDG_CONFIG_HOME", "~/.config"),
                      "letsencrypt", "cli.ini"),
@@ -85,9 +85,9 @@ CLI_DEFAULTS = dict(
     auth_cert_path="./cert.pem",
     auth_chain_path="./chain.pem",
     key_path=None,
-    config_dir="/etc/letsencrypt",
-    work_dir="/var/lib/letsencrypt",
-    logs_dir="/var/log/letsencrypt",
+    config_dir=compat.get_default_folder('config'),
+    work_dir=compat.get_default_folder('work'),
+    logs_dir=compat.get_default_folder('logs'),
     server="https://acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/directory",
 
     # Plugins parsers
diff --git a/certbot/display/ops.py b/certbot/display/ops.py
index 1e15a8474..3dae1070b 100644
--- a/certbot/display/ops.py
+++ b/certbot/display/ops.py
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@ import os
 
 import zope.component
 
+from certbot import compat
 from certbot import errors
 from certbot import interfaces
 from certbot import util
+
 from certbot.display import util as display_util
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -33,7 +35,8 @@ def get_email(invalid=False, optional=True):
     unsafe_suggestion = ("\n\nIf you really want to skip this, you can run "
                          "the client with --register-unsafely-without-email "
                          "but make sure you then backup your account key from "
-                         "/etc/letsencrypt/accounts\n\n")
+                         "{0}\n\n".format(os.path.join(
+                             compat.get_default_folder('config'), 'accounts')))
     if optional:
         if invalid:
             msg += unsafe_suggestion
diff --git a/certbot/tests/main_test.py b/certbot/tests/main_test.py
index 8d6a3e7ae..6c35f1fdb 100644
--- a/certbot/tests/main_test.py
+++ b/certbot/tests/main_test.py
@@ -944,8 +944,8 @@ class MainTest(test_util.ConfigTestCase):  # pylint: disable=too-many-public-met
     @mock.patch('certbot.crypto_util.notAfter')
     @test_util.patch_get_utility()
     def test_certonly_new_request_success(self, mock_get_utility, mock_notAfter):
-        cert_path = '/etc/letsencrypt/live/foo.bar'
-        key_path = '/etc/letsencrypt/live/baz.qux'
+        cert_path = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(self.config.config_dir, 'live/foo.bar'))
+        key_path = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(self.config.config_dir, 'live/baz.qux'))
         date = '1970-01-01'
         mock_notAfter().date.return_value = date
 
@@ -975,7 +975,8 @@ class MainTest(test_util.ConfigTestCase):  # pylint: disable=too-many-public-met
                              reuse_key=False):
         # pylint: disable=too-many-locals,too-many-arguments,too-many-branches
         cert_path = test_util.vector_path('cert_512.pem')
-        chain_path = '/etc/letsencrypt/live/foo.bar/fullchain.pem'
+        chain_path = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(self.config.config_dir,
+                                                   'live/foo.bar/fullchain.pem'))
         mock_lineage = mock.MagicMock(cert=cert_path, fullchain=chain_path,
                                       cert_path=cert_path, fullchain_path=chain_path)
         mock_lineage.should_autorenew.return_value = due_for_renewal