diff --git a/src/gui/application.cpp b/src/gui/application.cpp
index f962f9b14dde8..c318868907887 100644
--- a/src/gui/application.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/application.cpp
@@ -158,6 +158,11 @@ bool Application::configVersionMigration()
         return true;
     }
 
+    // 'Launch on system startup' defaults to true > 3.11.x
+    const auto theme = Theme::instance();
+    configFile.setLaunchOnSystemStartup(configFile.launchOnSystemStartup());
+    Utility::setLaunchOnStartup(theme->appName(), theme->appNameGUI(), configFile.launchOnSystemStartup());
+
     // back up all old config files
     QStringList backupFilesList;
     QDir configDir(configFile.configPath());
diff --git a/src/gui/generalsettings.cpp b/src/gui/generalsettings.cpp
index 0b32d9db47b69..6a6315b38def5 100644
--- a/src/gui/generalsettings.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/generalsettings.cpp
@@ -159,10 +159,9 @@ GeneralSettings::GeneralSettings(QWidget *parent)
         _ui->autostartCheckBox->setChecked(hasSystemAutoStart);
         _ui->autostartCheckBox->setDisabled(hasSystemAutoStart);
         _ui->autostartCheckBox->setToolTip(tr("You cannot disable autostart because system-wide autostart is enabled."));
-    } else {
-        const auto hasAutoStart = Utility::hasLaunchOnStartup(Theme::instance()->appName());
+    } else {       
         connect(_ui->autostartCheckBox, &QAbstractButton::toggled, this, &GeneralSettings::slotToggleLaunchOnStartup);
-        _ui->autostartCheckBox->setChecked(hasAutoStart);
+        _ui->autostartCheckBox->setChecked(ConfigFile().launchOnSystemStartup());
     }
 
     // setup about section
@@ -454,7 +453,13 @@ void GeneralSettings::saveMiscSettings()
 
 void GeneralSettings::slotToggleLaunchOnStartup(bool enable)
 {
+    ConfigFile configFile;
+    if (enable == Utility::hasLaunchOnStartup(Theme::instance()->appName())) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     const auto theme = Theme::instance();
+    configFile.setLaunchOnSystemStartup(enable);
     Utility::setLaunchOnStartup(theme->appName(), theme->appNameGUI(), enable);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libsync/configfile.cpp b/src/libsync/configfile.cpp
index 7d2ebb4f39369..dd5efa0f67450 100644
--- a/src/libsync/configfile.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/configfile.cpp
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ static constexpr char logExpireC[] = "logExpire";
 static constexpr char logFlushC[] = "logFlush";
 static constexpr char showExperimentalOptionsC[] = "showExperimentalOptions";
 static constexpr char clientVersionC[] = "clientVersion";
+static constexpr char launchOnSystemStartupC[] = "launchOnSystemStartup";
 
 static constexpr char proxyHostC[] = "Proxy/host";
 static constexpr char proxyTypeC[] = "Proxy/type";
@@ -1152,6 +1153,18 @@ void ConfigFile::setClientVersionString(const QString &version)
     settings.setValue(QLatin1String(clientVersionC), version);
 }
 
+bool ConfigFile::launchOnSystemStartup() const
+{
+    QSettings settings(configFile(), QSettings::IniFormat);
+    return settings.value(QLatin1String(launchOnSystemStartupC), true).toBool();
+}
+
+void ConfigFile::setLaunchOnSystemStartup(const bool autostart)
+{
+    QSettings settings(configFile(), QSettings::IniFormat);
+    settings.setValue(QLatin1String(launchOnSystemStartupC), autostart);
+}
+
 Q_GLOBAL_STATIC(QString, g_configFileName)
 
 std::unique_ptr<QSettings> ConfigFile::settingsWithGroup(const QString &group, QObject *parent)
diff --git a/src/libsync/configfile.h b/src/libsync/configfile.h
index 0ca15b807c73c..7ae1f98df207b 100644
--- a/src/libsync/configfile.h
+++ b/src/libsync/configfile.h
@@ -220,6 +220,11 @@ class OWNCLOUDSYNC_EXPORT ConfigFile
     [[nodiscard]] QString clientVersionString() const;
     void setClientVersionString(const QString &version);
 
+    /** If the option 'Launch on system startup' is set
+        Updated by configVersionMigration() at client startup. */
+    [[nodiscard]] bool launchOnSystemStartup() const;
+    void setLaunchOnSystemStartup(const bool autostart);
+
     /**  Returns a new settings pre-set in a specific group.  The Settings will be created
          with the given parent. If no parent is specified, the caller must destroy the settings */
     static std::unique_ptr<QSettings> settingsWithGroup(const QString &group, QObject *parent = nullptr);