diff --git a/api/dev/states/shares.ini b/api/dev/states/shares.ini
index d4641f453..988a0ac34 100644
--- a/api/dev/states/shares.ini
+++ b/api/dev/states/shares.ini
@@ -65,4 +65,38 @@ color="yellow-on"
 size="0"
 free="9091184"
 used="32831348"
+luksStatus="0"
+["system.with.periods"]
+name="system.with.periods"
+nameOrig="system.with.periods"
+comment="system data with periods"
+allocator="highwater"
+splitLevel="1"
+floor="0"
+include=""
+exclude=""
+useCache="prefer"
+cachePool="cache"
+cow="auto"
+color="yellow-on"
+size="0"
+free="9091184"
+used="32831348"
+luksStatus="0"
+["system.with.🚀"]
+name="system.with.🚀"
+nameOrig="system.with.🚀"
+comment="system data with 🚀"
+allocator="highwater"
+splitLevel="1"
+floor="0"
+include=""
+exclude=""
+useCache="prefer"
+cachePool="cache"
+cow="auto"
+color="yellow-on"
+size="0"
+free="9091184"
+used="32831348"
 luksStatus="0"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/api/src/__test__/core/utils/shares/get-shares.test.ts b/api/src/__test__/core/utils/shares/get-shares.test.ts
index 97667e949..df6d04010 100644
--- a/api/src/__test__/core/utils/shares/get-shares.test.ts
+++ b/api/src/__test__/core/utils/shares/get-shares.test.ts
@@ -95,6 +95,48 @@ test('Returns both disk and user shares', async () => {
             "type": "user",
             "used": 33619300,
           },
+          {
+            "allocator": "highwater",
+            "cachePool": "cache",
+            "color": "yellow-on",
+            "comment": "system data with periods",
+            "cow": "auto",
+            "exclude": [],
+            "floor": "0",
+            "free": 9309372,
+            "id": "system.with.periods",
+            "include": [],
+            "luksStatus": "0",
+            "name": "system.with.periods",
+            "nameOrig": "system.with.periods",
+            "nfs": {},
+            "size": 0,
+            "smb": {},
+            "splitLevel": "1",
+            "type": "user",
+            "used": 33619300,
+          },
+          {
+            "allocator": "highwater",
+            "cachePool": "cache",
+            "color": "yellow-on",
+            "comment": "system data with 🚀",
+            "cow": "auto",
+            "exclude": [],
+            "floor": "0",
+            "free": 9309372,
+            "id": "system.with.🚀",
+            "include": [],
+            "luksStatus": "0",
+            "name": "system.with.🚀",
+            "nameOrig": "system.with.🚀",
+            "nfs": {},
+            "size": 0,
+            "smb": {},
+            "splitLevel": "1",
+            "type": "user",
+            "used": 33619300,
+          },
         ],
       }
     `);
@@ -211,6 +253,48 @@ test('Returns shares by type', async () => {
           "type": "user",
           "used": 33619300,
         },
+        {
+          "allocator": "highwater",
+          "cachePool": "cache",
+          "color": "yellow-on",
+          "comment": "system data with periods",
+          "cow": "auto",
+          "exclude": [],
+          "floor": "0",
+          "free": 9309372,
+          "id": "system.with.periods",
+          "include": [],
+          "luksStatus": "0",
+          "name": "system.with.periods",
+          "nameOrig": "system.with.periods",
+          "nfs": {},
+          "size": 0,
+          "smb": {},
+          "splitLevel": "1",
+          "type": "user",
+          "used": 33619300,
+        },
+        {
+          "allocator": "highwater",
+          "cachePool": "cache",
+          "color": "yellow-on",
+          "comment": "system data with 🚀",
+          "cow": "auto",
+          "exclude": [],
+          "floor": "0",
+          "free": 9309372,
+          "id": "system.with.🚀",
+          "include": [],
+          "luksStatus": "0",
+          "name": "system.with.🚀",
+          "nameOrig": "system.with.🚀",
+          "nfs": {},
+          "size": 0,
+          "smb": {},
+          "splitLevel": "1",
+          "type": "user",
+          "used": 33619300,
+        },
       ]
     `);
     expect(getShares('disk')).toMatchInlineSnapshot('null');
diff --git a/api/src/__test__/store/modules/emhttp.test.ts b/api/src/__test__/store/modules/emhttp.test.ts
index 793d9aa47..743397913 100644
--- a/api/src/__test__/store/modules/emhttp.test.ts
+++ b/api/src/__test__/store/modules/emhttp.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-import { expect, test } from 'vitest';
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, test, vi } from 'vitest';
 
+import { parseConfig } from '@app/core/utils/misc/parse-config.js';
 import { store } from '@app/store/index.js';
 import { FileLoadStatus } from '@app/store/types.js';
 
@@ -446,6 +447,44 @@ test('After init returns values from cfg file for all fields', { timeout: 30000
           "splitLevel": "1",
           "used": 33619300,
         },
+        {
+          "allocator": "highwater",
+          "cache": false,
+          "cachePool": "cache",
+          "color": "yellow-on",
+          "comment": "system data with periods",
+          "cow": "auto",
+          "exclude": [],
+          "floor": "0",
+          "free": 9309372,
+          "id": "system.with.periods",
+          "include": [],
+          "luksStatus": "0",
+          "name": "system.with.periods",
+          "nameOrig": "system.with.periods",
+          "size": 0,
+          "splitLevel": "1",
+          "used": 33619300,
+        },
+        {
+          "allocator": "highwater",
+          "cache": false,
+          "cachePool": "cache",
+          "color": "yellow-on",
+          "comment": "system data with 🚀",
+          "cow": "auto",
+          "exclude": [],
+          "floor": "0",
+          "free": 9309372,
+          "id": "system.with.🚀",
+          "include": [],
+          "luksStatus": "0",
+          "name": "system.with.🚀",
+          "nameOrig": "system.with.🚀",
+          "size": 0,
+          "splitLevel": "1",
+          "used": 33619300,
+        },
       ]
     `);
     expect(nfsShares).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -1110,3 +1149,209 @@ test('After init returns values from cfg file for all fields', { timeout: 30000
       }
     `);
 });
+
+describe('Share parsing with periods in names', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+        vi.clearAllMocks();
+    });
+
+    test('parseConfig handles periods in INI section names', () => {
+        const mockIniContent = `
+["share.with.periods"]
+name=share.with.periods
+useCache=yes
+include=
+exclude=
+
+[normal_share]
+name=normal_share
+useCache=no
+include=
+exclude=
+`;
+
+        const result = parseConfig<any>({
+            file: mockIniContent,
+            type: 'ini',
+        });
+
+        // The result should now have properly flattened keys
+
+        expect(result).toHaveProperty('shareWithPeriods');
+        expect(result).toHaveProperty('normalShare');
+        expect(result.shareWithPeriods.name).toBe('share.with.periods');
+        expect(result.normalShare.name).toBe('normal_share');
+    });
+
+    test('shares parser handles periods in share names correctly', async () => {
+        const { parse } = await import('@app/store/state-parsers/shares.js');
+
+        // The parser expects an object where values are share configs
+        const mockSharesState = {
+            shareWithPeriods: {
+                name: 'share.with.periods',
+                free: '1000000',
+                used: '500000',
+                size: '1500000',
+                include: '',
+                exclude: '',
+                useCache: 'yes',
+            },
+            normalShare: {
+                name: 'normal_share',
+                free: '2000000',
+                used: '750000',
+                size: '2750000',
+                include: '',
+                exclude: '',
+                useCache: 'no',
+            },
+        } as any;
+
+        const result = parse(mockSharesState);
+
+        expect(result).toHaveLength(2);
+        const periodShare = result.find((s) => s.name === 'share.with.periods');
+        const normalShare = result.find((s) => s.name === 'normal_share');
+
+        expect(periodShare).toBeDefined();
+        expect(periodShare?.id).toBe('share.with.periods');
+        expect(periodShare?.name).toBe('share.with.periods');
+        expect(periodShare?.cache).toBe(true);
+
+        expect(normalShare).toBeDefined();
+        expect(normalShare?.id).toBe('normal_share');
+        expect(normalShare?.name).toBe('normal_share');
+        expect(normalShare?.cache).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    test('SMB parser handles periods in share names', async () => {
+        const { parse } = await import('@app/store/state-parsers/smb.js');
+
+        const mockSmbState = {
+            'share.with.periods': {
+                export: 'e',
+                security: 'public',
+                writeList: '',
+                readList: '',
+                volsizelimit: '0',
+            },
+            normal_share: {
+                export: 'e',
+                security: 'private',
+                writeList: 'user1,user2',
+                readList: '',
+                volsizelimit: '1000',
+            },
+        } as any;
+
+        const result = parse(mockSmbState);
+
+        expect(result).toHaveLength(2);
+        const periodShare = result.find((s) => s.name === 'share.with.periods');
+        const normalShare = result.find((s) => s.name === 'normal_share');
+
+        expect(periodShare).toBeDefined();
+        expect(periodShare?.name).toBe('share.with.periods');
+        expect(periodShare?.enabled).toBe(true);
+
+        expect(normalShare).toBeDefined();
+        expect(normalShare?.name).toBe('normal_share');
+        expect(normalShare?.writeList).toEqual(['user1', 'user2']);
+    });
+
+    test('NFS parser handles periods in share names', async () => {
+        const { parse } = await import('@app/store/state-parsers/nfs.js');
+
+        const mockNfsState = {
+            'share.with.periods': {
+                export: 'e',
+                security: 'public',
+                writeList: '',
+                readList: 'user1',
+                hostList: '',
+            },
+            normal_share: {
+                export: 'd',
+                security: 'private',
+                writeList: 'user2',
+                readList: '',
+                hostList: '192.168.1.0/24',
+            },
+        } as any;
+
+        const result = parse(mockNfsState);
+
+        expect(result).toHaveLength(2);
+        const periodShare = result.find((s) => s.name === 'share.with.periods');
+        const normalShare = result.find((s) => s.name === 'normal_share');
+
+        expect(periodShare).toBeDefined();
+        expect(periodShare?.name).toBe('share.with.periods');
+        expect(periodShare?.enabled).toBe(true);
+        expect(periodShare?.readList).toEqual(['user1']);
+
+        expect(normalShare).toBeDefined();
+        expect(normalShare?.name).toBe('normal_share');
+        expect(normalShare?.enabled).toBe(false);
+    });
+});
+
+describe('Share lookup with periods in names', () => {
+    test('getShares finds user shares with periods in names', async () => {
+        // Mock the store state
+        const mockStore = await import('@app/store/index.js');
+        const mockEmhttpState = {
+            shares: [
+                {
+                    id: 'share.with.periods',
+                    name: 'share.with.periods',
+                    cache: true,
+                    free: 1000000,
+                    used: 500000,
+                    size: 1500000,
+                    include: [],
+                    exclude: [],
+                },
+                {
+                    id: 'normal_share',
+                    name: 'normal_share',
+                    cache: false,
+                    free: 2000000,
+                    used: 750000,
+                    size: 2750000,
+                    include: [],
+                    exclude: [],
+                },
+            ],
+            smbShares: [
+                { name: 'share.with.periods', enabled: true, security: 'public' },
+                { name: 'normal_share', enabled: true, security: 'private' },
+            ],
+            nfsShares: [
+                { name: 'share.with.periods', enabled: false },
+                { name: 'normal_share', enabled: true },
+            ],
+            disks: [],
+        };
+
+        const gettersSpy = vi.spyOn(mockStore, 'getters', 'get').mockReturnValue({
+            emhttp: () => mockEmhttpState,
+        } as any);
+
+        const { getShares } = await import('@app/core/utils/shares/get-shares.js');
+
+        const periodShare = getShares('user', { name: 'share.with.periods' });
+        const normalShare = getShares('user', { name: 'normal_share' });
+
+        expect(periodShare).not.toBeNull();
+        expect(periodShare?.name).toBe('share.with.periods');
+        expect(periodShare?.type).toBe('user');
+
+        expect(normalShare).not.toBeNull();
+        expect(normalShare?.name).toBe('normal_share');
+        expect(normalShare?.type).toBe('user');
+
+        gettersSpy.mockRestore();
+    });
+});
diff --git a/api/src/__test__/store/state-parsers/shares.test.ts b/api/src/__test__/store/state-parsers/shares.test.ts
index 6435a72ed..08405a347 100644
--- a/api/src/__test__/store/state-parsers/shares.test.ts
+++ b/api/src/__test__/store/state-parsers/shares.test.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,44 @@ test('Returns parsed state file', async () => {
           "splitLevel": "1",
           "used": 33619300,
         },
+        {
+          "allocator": "highwater",
+          "cache": false,
+          "cachePool": "cache",
+          "color": "yellow-on",
+          "comment": "system data with periods",
+          "cow": "auto",
+          "exclude": [],
+          "floor": "0",
+          "free": 9309372,
+          "id": "system.with.periods",
+          "include": [],
+          "luksStatus": "0",
+          "name": "system.with.periods",
+          "nameOrig": "system.with.periods",
+          "size": 0,
+          "splitLevel": "1",
+          "used": 33619300,
+        },
+        {
+          "allocator": "highwater",
+          "cache": false,
+          "cachePool": "cache",
+          "color": "yellow-on",
+          "comment": "system data with 🚀",
+          "cow": "auto",
+          "exclude": [],
+          "floor": "0",
+          "free": 9309372,
+          "id": "system.with.🚀",
+          "include": [],
+          "luksStatus": "0",
+          "name": "system.with.🚀",
+          "nameOrig": "system.with.🚀",
+          "size": 0,
+          "splitLevel": "1",
+          "used": 33619300,
+        },
       ]
     `);
 });
diff --git a/api/src/core/utils/misc/parse-config.ts b/api/src/core/utils/misc/parse-config.ts
index 032fc94d9..5aadc19b0 100644
--- a/api/src/core/utils/misc/parse-config.ts
+++ b/api/src/core/utils/misc/parse-config.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,54 @@ type OptionsWithLoadedFile = {
     type: ConfigType;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Flattens nested objects that were incorrectly created by periods in INI section names.
+ * For example: { system: { with: { periods: {...} } } } -> { "system.with.periods": {...} }
+ */
+const flattenPeriodSections = (obj: Record<string, any>, prefix = ''): Record<string, any> => {
+    const result: Record<string, any> = {};
+    const isNestedObject = (value: unknown) =>
+        Boolean(value && typeof value === 'object' && !Array.isArray(value));
+    // prevent prototype pollution/injection
+    const isUnsafeKey = (k: string) => k === '__proto__' || k === 'prototype' || k === 'constructor';
+
+    for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(obj)) {
+        if (isUnsafeKey(key)) continue;
+        const fullKey = prefix ? `${prefix}.${key}` : key;
+
+        if (!isNestedObject(value)) {
+            result[fullKey] = value;
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        const section = {};
+        const nestedObjs = {};
+        let hasSectionProps = false;
+
+        for (const [propKey, propValue] of Object.entries(value)) {
+            if (isUnsafeKey(propKey)) continue;
+            if (isNestedObject(propValue)) {
+                nestedObjs[propKey] = propValue;
+            } else {
+                section[propKey] = propValue;
+                hasSectionProps = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Process direct properties first to maintain order
+        if (hasSectionProps) {
+            result[fullKey] = section;
+        }
+
+        // Then process nested objects
+        if (Object.keys(nestedObjs).length > 0) {
+            Object.assign(result, flattenPeriodSections(nestedObjs, fullKey));
+        }
+    }
+
+    return result;
+};
+
 /**
  * Converts the following
  * ```
@@ -127,6 +175,8 @@ export const parseConfig = <T extends Record<string, any>>(
     let data: Record<string, any>;
     try {
         data = parseIni(fileContents);
+        // Fix nested objects created by periods in section names
+        data = flattenPeriodSections(data);
     } catch (error) {
         throw new AppError(
             `Failed to parse config file: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`
diff --git a/api/src/store/initial-state/initial-config-state.ts b/api/src/store/initial-state/initial-config-state.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000