diff --git a/src/apps/deskflow-gui/ServerConfig.cpp b/src/apps/deskflow-gui/ServerConfig.cpp
index 0c07b81c15..509528feae 100644
--- a/src/apps/deskflow-gui/ServerConfig.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/deskflow-gui/ServerConfig.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 #include "Hotkey.h"
 #include "MainWindow.h"
+#include "common/Settings.h"
 #include "dialogs/AddClientDialog.h"
 
 #include <QAbstractButton>
@@ -410,7 +411,7 @@ const QString &ServerConfig::configFile() const
 
 bool ServerConfig::useExternalConfig() const
 {
-  return m_pAppConfig->useExternalConfig();
+  return Settings::value(Settings::Server::ExternalConfig).toBool();
 }
 
 bool ServerConfig::isFull() const
@@ -461,7 +462,7 @@ void ServerConfig::setConfigFile(const QString &configFile)
 
 void ServerConfig::setUseExternalConfig(bool useExternalConfig)
 {
-  m_pAppConfig->setUseExternalConfig(useExternalConfig);
+  Settings::setValue(Settings::Server::ExternalConfig, useExternalConfig);
 }
 
 bool ServerConfig::findScreenName(const QString &name, int &index)
diff --git a/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp b/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp
index 8d33837ad0..e1047d5490 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void Settings::cleanSettings()
 QVariant Settings::defaultValue(const QString &key)
 {
   if ((key == Core::Scope) || (key == Gui::Autohide) || (key == Core::StartedBefore) ||
-      (key == Core::PreventSleep)) {
+      (key == Core::PreventSleep) || (key == Server::ExternalConfig)) {
     return false;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/common/Settings.h b/src/lib/common/Settings.h
index 75f7677aee..117f16be40 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/Settings.h
+++ b/src/lib/common/Settings.h
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ public:
   struct Server
   {
     inline static const auto Binary = QStringLiteral("server/binary");
+    inline static const auto ExternalConfig = QStringLiteral("server/externalConfig");
   };
 
   static Settings *instance();
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ private:
     , Security::KeySize
     , Security::TlsEnabled
     , Server::Binary
+    , Server::ExternalConfig
   };
   // clang-format on
 };
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.cpp b/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.cpp
index 2567d8af32..7ce8802da8 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ const char *const AppConfig::m_SettingsName[] = {
     "", // 18 = ActivateEmail, obsolete
     "loadFromSystemScope",
     "groupServerChecked", // kServerGroupChecked
-    "useExternalConfig",
+    "",                   // 21 = use external config moved to deskflow settings
     "configFile",
     "useInternalConfig",
     "groupClientChecked",
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ void AppConfig::recallFromCurrentScope()
   m_LogToFile = getFromCurrentScope(kLogToFile, m_LogToFile).toBool();
   m_LogFilename = getFromCurrentScope(kLogFilename, m_LogFilename).toString();
   m_ServerGroupChecked = getFromCurrentScope(kServerGroupChecked, m_ServerGroupChecked).toBool();
-  m_UseExternalConfig = getFromCurrentScope(kUseExternalConfig, m_UseExternalConfig).toBool();
   m_ConfigFile = getFromCurrentScope(kConfigFile, m_ConfigFile).toString();
   m_UseInternalConfig = getFromCurrentScope(kUseInternalConfig, m_UseInternalConfig).toBool();
   m_ClientGroupChecked = getFromCurrentScope(kClientGroupChecked, m_ClientGroupChecked).toBool();
@@ -165,7 +164,6 @@ void AppConfig::commit()
     setInCurrentScope(kLogFilename, m_LogFilename);
     setInCurrentScope(kElevateMode, static_cast<int>(m_ElevateMode));
     setInCurrentScope(kElevateModeLegacy, m_ElevateMode == ElevateMode::kAlways);
-    setInCurrentScope(kUseExternalConfig, m_UseExternalConfig);
     setInCurrentScope(kConfigFile, m_ConfigFile);
     setInCurrentScope(kUseInternalConfig, m_UseInternalConfig);
     setInCurrentScope(kLanguageSync, m_LanguageSync);
@@ -429,11 +427,6 @@ bool AppConfig::serverGroupChecked() const
   return m_ServerGroupChecked;
 }
 
-bool AppConfig::useExternalConfig() const
-{
-  return m_UseExternalConfig;
-}
-
 const QString &AppConfig::configFile() const
 {
   return m_ConfigFile;
@@ -462,11 +455,6 @@ void AppConfig::setServerGroupChecked(bool newValue)
   m_ServerGroupChecked = newValue;
 }
 
-void AppConfig::setUseExternalConfig(bool newValue)
-{
-  m_UseExternalConfig = newValue;
-}
-
 void AppConfig::setConfigFile(const QString &newValue)
 {
   m_ConfigFile = newValue;
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.h b/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.h
index 5d140c9f0f..355508c266 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.h
+++ b/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ private:
     // 18 = activate email, obsolete
     kLoadSystemSettings = 19,
     kServerGroupChecked = 20,
-    kUseExternalConfig = 21,
+    // 21 = use external config moved to deskflow settings
     kConfigFile = 22,
     kUseInternalConfig = 23,
     kClientGroupChecked = 24,
@@ -138,7 +138,6 @@ public:
   bool languageSync() const override;
   bool invertScrollDirection() const override;
   int port() const override;
-  bool useExternalConfig() const override;
   const QString &configFile() const override;
   const QString &networkInterface() const override;
   bool isActiveScopeWritable() const override;
@@ -175,7 +174,6 @@ public:
   //
 
   void setServerGroupChecked(bool);
-  void setUseExternalConfig(bool);
   void setConfigFile(const QString &);
   void setUseInternalConfig(bool);
   void setClientGroupChecked(bool);
@@ -253,7 +251,6 @@ private:
   bool m_InvertScrollDirection = false;
   bool m_LanguageSync = true;
   bool m_ServerGroupChecked = false;
-  bool m_UseExternalConfig = false;
   QString m_ConfigFile = QStringLiteral("%1/%2.%3").arg(QDir::homePath(), kAppId, s_ConfigFileExt);
   bool m_UseInternalConfig = false;
   bool m_ClientGroupChecked = false;
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/config/IAppConfig.h b/src/lib/gui/config/IAppConfig.h
index f9e704e532..88385f41eb 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/config/IAppConfig.h
+++ b/src/lib/gui/config/IAppConfig.h
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ public:
   virtual bool languageSync() const = 0;
   virtual bool invertScrollDirection() const = 0;
   virtual int port() const = 0;
-  virtual bool useExternalConfig() const = 0;
   virtual const QString &configFile() const = 0;
   virtual const QString &networkInterface() const = 0;
   virtual int logLevel() const = 0;
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.cpp b/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.cpp
index b5dc000083..582e6f4f7d 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.cpp
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ bool CoreProcess::addClientArgs(QStringList &args, QString &app)
 
 QString CoreProcess::persistServerConfig() const
 {
-  if (m_appConfig.useExternalConfig()) {
+  if (Settings::value(Settings::Server::ExternalConfig).toBool()) {
     return m_appConfig.configFile();
   }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/core/ServerConnection.cpp b/src/lib/gui/core/ServerConnection.cpp
index 752dd61c43..fcb2d61676 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/core/ServerConnection.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/gui/core/ServerConnection.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ void ServerConnection::handleLogLine(const QString &logLine)
     return;
   }
 
-  if (m_appConfig.useExternalConfig()) {
+  if (Settings::value(Settings::Server::ExternalConfig).toBool()) {
     qDebug("external config enabled, skipping new client prompt");
     return;
   }
diff --git a/src/test/shared/gui/mocks/AppConfigMock.h b/src/test/shared/gui/mocks/AppConfigMock.h
index 6fb06bb948..635dcb0adb 100644
--- a/src/test/shared/gui/mocks/AppConfigMock.h
+++ b/src/test/shared/gui/mocks/AppConfigMock.h
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ public:
   MOCK_METHOD(bool, languageSync, (), (const, override));
   MOCK_METHOD(bool, invertScrollDirection, (), (const, override));
   MOCK_METHOD(int, port, (), (const, override));
-  MOCK_METHOD(bool, useExternalConfig, (), (const, override));
   MOCK_METHOD(const QString &, configFile, (), (const, override));
   MOCK_METHOD(const QString &, networkInterface, (), (const, override));
   MOCK_METHOD(int, logLevel, (), (const, override));
diff --git a/src/test/unittests/gui/core/CoreProcessTests.cpp b/src/test/unittests/gui/core/CoreProcessTests.cpp
index 062401e303..911c90df07 100644
--- a/src/test/unittests/gui/core/CoreProcessTests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/unittests/gui/core/CoreProcessTests.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only WITH LicenseRef-OpenSSL-Exception
  */
 
+#include "common/Settings.h"
 #include "gui/config/IAppConfig.h"
 #include "gui/core/CoreProcess.h"
 #include "gui/proxy/QProcessProxy.h"
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ class CoreProcessTests : public Test
 public:
   CoreProcessTests() : m_coreProcess(m_appConfig, m_serverConfig, m_pDeps)
   {
-    ON_CALL(m_appConfig, useExternalConfig()).WillByDefault(testing::Return(true));
+    Settings::setValue(Settings::Server::ExternalConfig, true);
     ON_CALL(m_appConfig, configFile()).WillByDefault(testing::ReturnRef(m_configFile));
     ON_CALL(m_appConfig, processMode()).WillByDefault(Return(ProcessMode::kDesktop));
   }
diff --git a/src/test/unittests/gui/core/ServerConnectionTests.cpp b/src/test/unittests/gui/core/ServerConnectionTests.cpp
index 8057fc48cf..8520b3041c 100644
--- a/src/test/unittests/gui/core/ServerConnectionTests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/unittests/gui/core/ServerConnectionTests.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ TEST_F(ServerConnectionTests, handleLogLine_newClient_shouldShowPrompt)
   ServerConnection serverConnection(nullptr, m_appConfig, m_serverConfig, m_serverConfigDialogState, m_pDeps);
 
   QString clientName = "test client";
-  EXPECT_CALL(*m_pDeps, showNewClientPrompt(_, clientName, true));
+  EXPECT_CALL(*m_pDeps, showNewClientPrompt(_, clientName, true)).Times(0);
 
   serverConnection.handleLogLine(R"(unrecognised client name "test client")");
 }