diff --git a/src/apps/deskflow-gui/MainWindow.cpp b/src/apps/deskflow-gui/MainWindow.cpp
index b201bffc3..1bbc251d8 100644
--- a/src/apps/deskflow-gui/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/deskflow-gui/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -579,7 +579,8 @@ void MainWindow::updateModeControls(bool serverMode)
     // The server can run without any clients configured, and this is actually
     // what you'll want to do the first time since you'll be prompted when an
     // unrecognized client tries to connect.
-    if (!m_appConfig.startedBefore() && !m_coreProcess.isStarted()) {
+    const auto startedBefore = Settings::value(Settings::Core::StartedBefore).toBool();
+    if (!startedBefore && !m_coreProcess.isStarted()) {
       qDebug() << "auto-starting core server for first time";
       m_coreProcess.start();
       messages::showFirstServerStartMessage(this);
@@ -633,7 +634,7 @@ void MainWindow::open()
 
   m_coreProcess.applyLogLevel();
 
-  if (m_appConfig.startedBefore()) {
+  if (Settings::value(Settings::Core::StartedBefore).toBool()) {
     m_coreProcess.start();
   }
 
@@ -873,12 +874,9 @@ void MainWindow::closeEvent(QCloseEvent *event)
 
 void MainWindow::showFirstConnectedMessage()
 {
-  if (m_appConfig.startedBefore()) {
+  if (Settings::value(Settings::Core::StartedBefore).toBool())
     return;
-  }
-
-  m_appConfig.setStartedBefore(true);
-  m_configScopes.save();
+  Settings::setValue(Settings::Core::StartedBefore, true);
 
   const auto isServer = m_coreProcess.mode() == CoreMode::Server;
   const auto closeToTray = Settings::value(Settings::Gui::CloseToTray).toBool();
@@ -947,8 +945,7 @@ void MainWindow::coreProcessStateChanged(CoreProcessState state)
 
   if (state == CoreProcessState::Started) {
     qDebug() << "recording that core has started";
-    m_appConfig.setStartedBefore(true);
-    m_configScopes.save();
+    Settings::setValue(Settings::Core::StartedBefore, true);
   }
 
   if (state == CoreProcessState::Started || state == CoreProcessState::Starting ||
diff --git a/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp b/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp
index 9000f7a56..fc9ba4bfd 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ void Settings::cleanSettings()
 
 QVariant Settings::defaultValue(const QString &key)
 {
-  if ((key == Core::Scope) || (key == Gui::Autohide)) {
+  if ((key == Core::Scope) || (key == Gui::Autohide) || (key == Core::StartedBefore)) {
     return false;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/common/Settings.h b/src/lib/common/Settings.h
index 0517a90e6..83b81b672 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/Settings.h
+++ b/src/lib/common/Settings.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ public:
   struct Core
   {
     inline static const auto Scope = QStringLiteral("core/loadFromSystemScope");
+    inline static const auto StartedBefore = QStringLiteral("core/startedBefore");
   };
   struct Gui
   {
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ private:
   // clang-format off
   inline static const QStringList m_validKeys = {
       Core::Scope
+    , Core::StartedBefore
     , Gui::Autohide
     , Gui::AutoUpdateCheck
     , Gui::CloseToTray
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.cpp b/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.cpp
index 66f9489cf..68982fc01 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ const char *const AppConfig::m_SettingsName[] = {
     "logToFile",
     "logFilename",
     "", // 6 wizardLastRun, obsolete
-    "startedBefore",
+    "", // 7 statedBefore moved to deskflow settings
     "elevateMode",
     "elevateModeEnum",
     "",              // 10 = edition, obsolete (using serial key instead)
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ void AppConfig::recallFromCurrentScope()
   m_LogLevel = getFromCurrentScope(kLogLevel, m_LogLevel).toInt();
   m_LogToFile = getFromCurrentScope(kLogToFile, m_LogToFile).toBool();
   m_LogFilename = getFromCurrentScope(kLogFilename, m_LogFilename).toString();
-  m_StartedBefore = getFromCurrentScope(kStartedBefore, m_StartedBefore).toBool();
   m_LastVersion = getFromCurrentScope(kLastVersion, m_LastVersion).toString();
   m_ServerGroupChecked = getFromCurrentScope(kServerGroupChecked, m_ServerGroupChecked).toBool();
   m_UseExternalConfig = getFromCurrentScope(kUseExternalConfig, m_UseExternalConfig).toBool();
@@ -176,7 +175,6 @@ void AppConfig::commit()
     setInCurrentScope(kLogLevel, m_LogLevel);
     setInCurrentScope(kLogToFile, m_LogToFile);
     setInCurrentScope(kLogFilename, m_LogFilename);
-    setInCurrentScope(kStartedBefore, m_StartedBefore);
     setInCurrentScope(kElevateMode, static_cast<int>(m_ElevateMode));
     setInCurrentScope(kElevateModeLegacy, m_ElevateMode == ElevateMode::kAlways);
     setInCurrentScope(kTlsEnabled, m_TlsEnabled);
@@ -431,11 +429,6 @@ ProcessMode AppConfig::processMode() const
   return m_EnableService ? ProcessMode::kService : ProcessMode::kDesktop;
 }
 
-bool AppConfig::startedBefore() const
-{
-  return m_StartedBefore;
-}
-
 QString AppConfig::lastVersion() const
 {
   return m_LastVersion;
@@ -654,11 +647,6 @@ void AppConfig::setLogFilename(const QString &s)
   m_LogFilename = s;
 }
 
-void AppConfig::setStartedBefore(bool b)
-{
-  m_StartedBefore = b;
-}
-
 void AppConfig::setElevateMode(ElevateMode em)
 {
   m_ElevateMode = em;
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.h b/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.h
index c37542a25..5342eac44 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.h
+++ b/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.h
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ private:
     kLogToFile = 4,
     kLogFilename = 5,
     // 6 = show first run wizard, obsolete
-    kStartedBefore = 7,
+    // 7 Started before moved to deskflow settings
     kElevateModeLegacy = 8,
     kElevateMode = 9,
     // 10 = edition, obsolete (related to obsolete licensing)
@@ -164,7 +164,6 @@ public:
   // Getters (new methods)
   //
 
-  bool startedBefore() const;
   QString logDir() const;
   bool serverGroupChecked() const;
   bool useInternalConfig() const;
@@ -197,7 +196,6 @@ public:
   // Setters (new methods)
   //
 
-  void setStartedBefore(bool b);
   void setServerGroupChecked(bool);
   void setUseExternalConfig(bool);
   void setConfigFile(const QString &);
@@ -289,7 +287,6 @@ private:
   int m_LogLevel = 0;
   bool m_LogToFile = false;
   QString m_LogFilename = logDir() + deskflow::gui::kDefaultLogFile;
-  bool m_StartedBefore = false;
   ElevateMode m_ElevateMode = deskflow::gui::kDefaultElevateMode;
   bool m_TlsEnabled = true;
   QString m_LastVersion = "";