diff --git a/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp b/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp
index 4b8e3fa66..1b380e3e9 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ QVariant Settings::defaultValue(const QString &key)
     return 1.0;
 
   if (key == Server::Protocol)
-    return QVariant::fromValue(NetworkProtocol::Barrier);
+    return networkProtocolToOption(NetworkProtocol::Barrier);
 
   if (key == Server::GridWidth)
     return kServerGridWidth;
@@ -224,6 +224,11 @@ QSettingsProxy &Settings::proxy()
   return *instance()->m_settingsProxy;
 }
 
+NetworkProtocol Settings::networkProtocol()
+{
+  return networkProtocolFromString(Settings::value(Server::Protocol).toString());
+}
+
 void Settings::save(bool emitSaving)
 {
   if (emitSaving)
diff --git a/src/lib/common/Settings.h b/src/lib/common/Settings.h
index e85e8e038..dc7fda4b8 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/Settings.h
+++ b/src/lib/common/Settings.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <QDir>
 
 #include "common/Constants.h"
+#include "common/NetworkProtocol.h"
 #include "common/QSettingsProxy.h"
 
 class Settings : public QObject
@@ -151,6 +152,7 @@ public:
   static QString tlsTrustedClientsDb();
   static QString logLevelText();
   static QSettingsProxy &proxy();
+  static NetworkProtocol networkProtocol();
   static void save(bool emitSaving = true);
   static QStringList validKeys();
   static QString portableSettingsFile();
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/dialogs/ServerConfigDialog.cpp b/src/lib/gui/dialogs/ServerConfigDialog.cpp
index 760b36004..923aec865 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/dialogs/ServerConfigDialog.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/gui/dialogs/ServerConfigDialog.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ ServerConfigDialog::ServerConfigDialog(QWidget *parent, ServerConfig &config)
 {
   ui->setupUi(this);
 
-  m_originalProtocol = Settings::value(Settings::Server::Protocol).value<NetworkProtocol>();
+  m_protocol = Settings::networkProtocol();
   connect(ui->buttonBox, &QDialogButtonBox::accepted, this, &ServerConfigDialog::accept);
   connect(ui->buttonBox, &QDialogButtonBox::rejected, this, &ServerConfigDialog::reject);
 
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ ServerConfigDialog::ServerConfigDialog(QWidget *parent, ServerConfig &config)
   ui->btnBrowseConfigFile->setIcon(QIcon::fromTheme(QIcon::ThemeIcon::DocumentOpen));
   ui->lineConfigFile->setText(serverConfig().configFile());
 
-  const auto networkProtocol = networkProtocolFromString(Settings::value(Settings::Server::Protocol).toString());
+  const auto networkProtocol = Settings::networkProtocol();
   ui->rbProtocolSynergy->setChecked(networkProtocol == NetworkProtocol::Synergy);
   ui->rbProtocolBarrier->setChecked(networkProtocol == NetworkProtocol::Barrier);
   connect(ui->rbProtocolBarrier, &QRadioButton::toggled, this, &ServerConfigDialog::toggleProtocol);
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ void ServerConfigDialog::accept()
   // now that the dialog has been accepted, copy the new server config to the
   // original one, which is a reference to the one in MainWindow.
   setOriginalServerConfig(serverConfig());
+  Settings::setValue(Settings::Server::Protocol, networkProtocolToOption(m_protocol));
 
   QDialog::accept();
 }
@@ -368,8 +369,7 @@ void ServerConfigDialog::toggleRelativeMouseMoves(bool enabled)
 
 void ServerConfigDialog::toggleProtocol()
 {
-  auto proto = ui->rbProtocolBarrier->isChecked() ? NetworkProtocol::Barrier : NetworkProtocol::Synergy;
-  Settings::setValue(Settings::Server::Protocol, networkProtocolToOption(proto));
+  m_protocol = ui->rbProtocolBarrier->isChecked() ? NetworkProtocol::Barrier : NetworkProtocol::Synergy;
   onChange();
 }
 
@@ -511,10 +511,9 @@ bool ServerConfigDialog::addComputer(const QString &clientName, bool doSilent)
 
 void ServerConfigDialog::onChange()
 {
-  bool isAppConfigDataEqual =
-      m_originalServerConfigIsExternal == serverConfig().useExternalConfig() &&
-      m_originalServerConfigUsesExternalFile == serverConfig().configFile() &&
-      m_originalProtocol == Settings::value(Settings::Server::Protocol).value<NetworkProtocol>();
+  bool isAppConfigDataEqual = m_originalServerConfigIsExternal == serverConfig().useExternalConfig() &&
+                              m_originalServerConfigUsesExternalFile == serverConfig().configFile() &&
+                              m_protocol == Settings::networkProtocol();
   ui->buttonBox->button(QDialogButtonBox::Ok)
       ->setEnabled(!isAppConfigDataEqual || !(m_originalServerConfig == m_serverConfig));
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/dialogs/ServerConfigDialog.h b/src/lib/gui/dialogs/ServerConfigDialog.h
index b592edcdb..f7641bbe7 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/dialogs/ServerConfigDialog.h
+++ b/src/lib/gui/dialogs/ServerConfigDialog.h
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ private:
   int m_columns;
   int m_rows;
   ServerConfig &m_originalServerConfig;
-  NetworkProtocol m_originalProtocol;
+  NetworkProtocol m_protocol;
   bool m_originalServerConfigIsExternal;
   QString m_originalServerConfigUsesExternalFile;
   ServerConfig m_serverConfig;
diff --git a/src/lib/server/Server.cpp b/src/lib/server/Server.cpp
index 4749d86b8..b4c0bb5f0 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/Server.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/server/Server.cpp
@@ -1130,7 +1130,7 @@ void Server::processOptions()
     stopRelativeMoves();
   }
   m_relativeMoves = newRelativeMoves;
-  m_protocol = networkProtocolFromString(Settings::value(Settings::Server::Protocol).toString());
+  m_protocol = Settings::networkProtocol();
 }
 
 void Server::handleShapeChanged(BaseClientProxy *client)