diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 6ec02e122d..7bd37c2bb5 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ Enhancements:
 - #7414 Expand BSD sockets poll tests and remove legacy-poll code
 - #7415 Assert arg value `num > 0` for BSD socket poll unblock pipe
 - #7416 Catch exception propagating to `Server` dtor
+- #7421 Only load core after settings have fully loaded
 
 # 1.14.6
 
diff --git a/src/gui/src/MainWindow.cpp b/src/gui/src/MainWindow.cpp
index a5ff8c23a0..ab4e461501 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/src/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -225,6 +225,12 @@ void MainWindow::onCreated() {
   // ensure that the ctor is fully executed before we start loading the
   // app config. a signal is the clearest way to communicate this.
   m_AppConfig.loadAllScopes();
+
+  const auto serverEnabled = appConfig().serverGroupChecked();
+  const auto clientEnabled = appConfig().clientGroupChecked();
+  if (serverEnabled || clientEnabled) {
+    startCore();
+  }
 }
 
 void MainWindow::onShown() {
@@ -503,18 +509,11 @@ void MainWindow::createMenuBar() {
 }
 
 void MainWindow::applyConfig() {
-  const auto serverEnabled = appConfig().serverGroupChecked();
-  const auto clientEnabled = appConfig().clientGroupChecked();
-
-  enableServer(serverEnabled);
-  enableClient(clientEnabled);
+  enableServer(appConfig().serverGroupChecked());
+  enableClient(appConfig().clientGroupChecked());
 
   m_pLineEditHostname->setText(appConfig().serverHostname());
   m_pLineEditClientIp->setText(serverConfig().getClientAddress());
-
-  if (serverEnabled || clientEnabled) {
-    startCore();
-  }
 }
 
 void MainWindow::saveSettings() {