diff --git a/core/launcher/src/main/java/org/phoebus/product/Launcher.java b/core/launcher/src/main/java/org/phoebus/product/Launcher.java
index 05b9bd88e1..396c5368c1 100644
--- a/core/launcher/src/main/java/org/phoebus/product/Launcher.java
+++ b/core/launcher/src/main/java/org/phoebus/product/Launcher.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import javafx.application.Application;
 import org.phoebus.framework.preferences.PropertyPreferenceLoader;
+import org.phoebus.framework.preferences.PropertyPreferenceWriter;
 import org.phoebus.framework.spi.AppDescriptor;
 import org.phoebus.framework.spi.AppResourceDescriptor;
 import org.phoebus.framework.workbench.ApplicationService;
@@ -9,10 +10,7 @@
 import org.phoebus.ui.application.ApplicationServer;
 import org.phoebus.ui.application.PhoebusApplication;
 
-import java.io.File;
-import java.io.InputStream;
-import java.io.FileInputStream;
-import java.io.FileOutputStream;
+import java.io.*;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 import java.nio.charset.Charset;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
@@ -25,11 +23,14 @@
 import java.util.prefs.Preferences;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
+import static org.phoebus.ui.application.PhoebusApplication.logger;
+
 @SuppressWarnings("nls")
 public class Launcher {
     private static final String LOGGING_OPTION = "-logging";
     private static final String DEFAULT_LOGGING_FILE="/logging.properties";
     private static final String LOGGING_PROP = "java.util.logging.config.file";
+    private static final String SETTINGS_SNAPSHOT = "settings_snapshot";
 
     public static void main(final String[] original_args) throws Exception {
         // First Handle arguments, potentially not even starting the UI
@@ -95,15 +96,11 @@ public static void main(final String[] original_args) throws Exception {
         Locations.initialize();
         // Check for site-specific settings.ini bundled into distribution
         // before potentially adding command-line settings.
-        final File site_settings = new File(Locations.install(), "settings.ini");
-        if (site_settings.canRead())
+        final File siteSettings = new File(Locations.install(), "settings.ini");
+        if (siteSettings.canRead())
         {
-            logger.info("Loading bundled settings from " + site_settings.getAbsolutePath());
-            final FileInputStream fileInputStream = new FileInputStream(site_settings);
-            if (site_settings.getName().endsWith(".xml"))
-                Preferences.importPreferences(fileInputStream);
-            else
-                PropertyPreferenceLoader.load(fileInputStream);
+            logger.info("Loading bundled settings from " + siteSettings.getAbsolutePath());
+            loadSettings(siteSettings.getName());
         }
 
         // Handle arguments, potentially not even starting the UI
@@ -140,11 +137,7 @@ public static void main(final String[] original_args) throws Exception {
                     iter.remove();
 
                     logger.info("Loading settings from " + location);
-                    if (location.endsWith(".xml"))
-                        Preferences.importPreferences(new FileInputStream(location));
-                    else
-                        PropertyPreferenceLoader.load(location);
-
+                    loadSettings(location);
                 } else if (cmd.equals("-export_settings")) {
                     if (!iter.hasNext())
                         throw new Exception("Missing -export_settings file name");
@@ -220,6 +213,26 @@ public static void main(final String[] original_args) throws Exception {
         Application.launch(PhoebusApplication.class, args.toArray(new String[args.size()]));
     }
 
+    private static void loadSettings(String location) throws Exception {
+        if (location.endsWith(".xml"))
+            Preferences.importPreferences(new FileInputStream(location));
+        else
+            PropertyPreferenceLoader.load(location);
+
+        // Preference settings
+        final ByteArrayOutputStream prefsBuf = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+        try
+        {
+            PropertyPreferenceWriter.save(prefsBuf);
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            logger.log(Level.WARNING, "Cannot list preferences", ex);
+        }
+
+        Preferences.userRoot().put(SETTINGS_SNAPSHOT, prefsBuf.toString());
+    }
+
     private static void help() {
         System.out.println(" _______           _______  _______  ______            _______ ");
         System.out.println("(  ____ )|\\     /|(  ___  )(  ____ \\(  ___ \\ |\\     /|(  ____ \\");
diff --git a/core/ui/src/main/java/org/phoebus/ui/help/OpenAbout.java b/core/ui/src/main/java/org/phoebus/ui/help/OpenAbout.java
index 254d9d48d5..70b5834a88 100644
--- a/core/ui/src/main/java/org/phoebus/ui/help/OpenAbout.java
+++ b/core/ui/src/main/java/org/phoebus/ui/help/OpenAbout.java
@@ -7,15 +7,11 @@
  *******************************************************************************/
 package org.phoebus.ui.help;
 
-import static org.phoebus.ui.application.PhoebusApplication.logger;
-
-import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
 import java.io.File;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
+import java.util.prefs.Preferences;
 
-import org.phoebus.framework.preferences.PropertyPreferenceWriter;
 import org.phoebus.framework.workbench.ApplicationService;
 import org.phoebus.framework.workbench.Locations;
 import org.phoebus.ui.application.Messages;
@@ -50,6 +46,7 @@
 @SuppressWarnings("nls")
 public class OpenAbout implements MenuEntry
 {
+    private static final String SETTINGS_SNAPSHOT = "settings_snapshot";
     /** Non-<code>null</code> while the 'about' dialog is shown */
     private Alert dialog;
 
@@ -194,22 +191,12 @@ private Node createDetailSection()
         area.setEditable(false);
         final Tab props = new Tab(Messages.HelpAboutSysFea, area);
 
-        // Preference settings
-        final ByteArrayOutputStream prefs_buf = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
-        try
-        {
-            PropertyPreferenceWriter.save(prefs_buf);
-        }
-        catch (Exception ex)
-        {
-            logger.log(Level.WARNING, "Cannot list preferences", ex);
-        }
-
+        String settingsSnapshot = Preferences.userRoot().get(SETTINGS_SNAPSHOT, "");
         WebView webView = new WebView();
         String content = "<html><head><style>" +
         	    "body {font-family: monospace;}" +
         	    "</style></head><body>";
-        content += prefs_buf.toString();
+        content += settingsSnapshot;
         content += "</body></html>";
         webView.getEngine().loadContent(content);
 
@@ -217,7 +204,6 @@ private Node createDetailSection()
 
         final Tab prefs = new Tab(Messages.HelpAboutPrefs, webView);
 
-        final TabPane tabs = new TabPane(apps, envs, props, prefs);
-        return tabs;
+        return new TabPane(apps, envs, props, prefs);
     }
 }