diff --git a/src/cpp/core/r_util/REnvironmentPosix.cpp b/src/cpp/core/r_util/REnvironmentPosix.cpp
index a4e964d49d..512707801b 100644
--- a/src/cpp/core/r_util/REnvironmentPosix.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/core/r_util/REnvironmentPosix.cpp
@@ -108,13 +108,7 @@ FilePath systemDefaultRScript(std::string* pErrMsg)
 {
    // check fallback paths
    std::vector<std::string> rScriptPaths = {
-      "/usr/bin/R",
-      "/usr/local/bin/R",
-      "/opt/local/bin/R",
-   #ifdef __APPLE__
-      "/opt/homebrew/bin/R",
-      "/Library/Frameworks/R.framework/Resources/bin/R",
-   #endif
+      "@R@/bin/R"
    };
 
    return scanForRScript(rScriptPaths, pErrMsg);
@@ -226,8 +220,7 @@ FilePath systemDefaultRScript(std::string* pErrMsg)
       // scan in standard locations as a fallback
       std::string scanErrMsg;
       std::vector<std::string> rScriptPaths;
-      rScriptPaths.push_back("/usr/local/bin/R");
-      rScriptPaths.push_back("/usr/bin/R");
+      rScriptPaths.push_back("@R@/bin/R");
       FilePath scriptPath = scanForRScript(rScriptPaths, &scanErrMsg);
       if (scriptPath.isEmpty())
       {
diff --git a/src/node/desktop/src/main/detect-r.ts b/src/node/desktop/src/main/detect-r.ts
index 5b768b7cbf..c0efeac0fe 100644
--- a/src/node/desktop/src/main/detect-r.ts
+++ b/src/node/desktop/src/main/detect-r.ts
@@ -305,6 +305,7 @@ writeLines(sep = "\x1F", c(
 }
 
 export function scanForR(): Expected<string> {
+  return ok('@R@/bin/R');
   // if the RSTUDIO_WHICH_R environment variable is set, use that
   // note that this does not pick up variables set in a user's bash profile, for example
   const rstudioWhichR = getenv('RSTUDIO_WHICH_R');