diff --git a/lib/libimhex/source/api/content_registry.cpp b/lib/libimhex/source/api/content_registry.cpp
index a922e18c2..8b323fd3e 100644
--- a/lib/libimhex/source/api/content_registry.cpp
+++ b/lib/libimhex/source/api/content_registry.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ namespace hex {
                 if (!settings[unlocalizedCategory].contains(unlocalizedName))
                     settings[unlocalizedCategory][unlocalizedName] = defaultValue;
 
+                if (settings[unlocalizedCategory][unlocalizedName].is_null())
+                    settings[unlocalizedCategory][unlocalizedName] = defaultValue;
+
                 return settings[unlocalizedCategory][unlocalizedName];
             }
 
diff --git a/plugins/builtin/source/content/views/view_settings.cpp b/plugins/builtin/source/content/views/view_settings.cpp
index cadf415ce..4e0092b32 100644
--- a/plugins/builtin/source/content/views/view_settings.cpp
+++ b/plugins/builtin/source/content/views/view_settings.cpp
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ namespace hex::plugin::builtin {
                 for (const auto &[unlocalizedSubCategory, entries] : subCategories) {
                     for (const auto &[unlocalizedName, widget] : entries) {
                         try {
-                            widget->load(ContentRegistry::Settings::impl::getSetting(unlocalizedCategory, unlocalizedName, widget->store()));
+                            auto defaultValue = widget->store();
+                            widget->load(ContentRegistry::Settings::impl::getSetting(unlocalizedCategory, unlocalizedName, defaultValue));
                             widget->onChanged();
                         } catch (const std::exception &e) {
                             log::error("Failed to load setting [{} / {}]: {}", unlocalizedCategory.get(), unlocalizedName.get(), e.what());
-                            widget->store();
                         }
                     }
                 }