diff --git a/ipn/ipnserver/server.go b/ipn/ipnserver/server.go
index 2b0943f25..6cd81e517 100644
--- a/ipn/ipnserver/server.go
+++ b/ipn/ipnserver/server.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 	"os/signal"
 	"os/user"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -602,7 +601,7 @@ func tryWindowsAppDataMigration(logf logger.Logf, path string) string {
 		// what they are doing.
 		return path
 	}
-	oldFile := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("LocalAppData"), "Tailscale", "server-state.conf")
+	oldFile := paths.LegacyStateFilePath()
 	return paths.TryConfigFileMigration(logf, oldFile, path)
 }
 
diff --git a/paths/paths_unix.go b/paths/paths_unix.go
index 9c0116bc3..fa95c783e 100644
--- a/paths/paths_unix.go
+++ b/paths/paths_unix.go
@@ -81,3 +81,8 @@ func ensureStateDirPerms(dir string) error {
 	}
 	return os.Chmod(dir, perm)
 }
+
+// LegacyStateFilePath is not applicable to UNIX; it is just stubbed out.
+func LegacyStateFilePath() string {
+	return ""
+}
diff --git a/paths/paths_windows.go b/paths/paths_windows.go
index e00a8062a..f1b34b633 100644
--- a/paths/paths_windows.go
+++ b/paths/paths_windows.go
@@ -148,3 +148,9 @@ func ensureStateDirPerms(dirPath string) error {
 	return windows.SetNamedSecurityInfo(dirPath, windows.SE_FILE_OBJECT, flags,
 		sids.User, sids.PrimaryGroup, dacl, nil)
 }
+
+// LegacyStateFilePath returns the legacy path to the state file when it was stored under the
+// current user's %LocalAppData%.
+func LegacyStateFilePath() string {
+	return filepath.Join(os.Getenv("LocalAppData"), "Tailscale", "server-state.conf")
+}