diff --git a/src/apps/deskflow-gui/ServerConfig.cpp b/src/apps/deskflow-gui/ServerConfig.cpp
index 509528fea..979a85c7a 100644
--- a/src/apps/deskflow-gui/ServerConfig.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/deskflow-gui/ServerConfig.cpp
@@ -404,9 +404,9 @@ void ServerConfig::updateServerName()
   }
 }
 
-const QString &ServerConfig::configFile() const
+const QString ServerConfig::configFile() const
 {
-  return m_pAppConfig->configFile();
+  return Settings::value(Settings::Server::ExternalConfigFile).toString();
 }
 
 bool ServerConfig::useExternalConfig() const
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ void ServerConfig::addClient(const QString &clientName)
 
 void ServerConfig::setConfigFile(const QString &configFile)
 {
-  m_pAppConfig->setConfigFile(configFile);
+  Settings::setValue(Settings::Server::ExternalConfigFile, configFile);
 }
 
 void ServerConfig::setUseExternalConfig(bool useExternalConfig)
diff --git a/src/apps/deskflow-gui/ServerConfig.h b/src/apps/deskflow-gui/ServerConfig.h
index 442b011d3..66b56f489 100644
--- a/src/apps/deskflow-gui/ServerConfig.h
+++ b/src/apps/deskflow-gui/ServerConfig.h
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ public:
   int autoAddScreen(const QString name);
   const QString &getServerName() const;
   void updateServerName();
-  const QString &configFile() const;
+  const QString configFile() const;
   bool useExternalConfig() const;
   void addClient(const QString &clientName);
   QString getClientAddress() const;
diff --git a/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp b/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp
index e1047d549..c8c7e4116 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/common/Settings.cpp
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ QVariant Settings::defaultValue(const QString &key)
   if (key == Server::Binary)
     return kServerBinName;
 
+  if (key == Server::ExternalConfigFile) {
+    const auto baseDir = QFileInfo(instance()->m_settings->fileName()).absolutePath();
+    return QStringLiteral("%1/%2.conf").arg(baseDir, kAppId);
+  }
+
   return QVariant();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/common/Settings.h b/src/lib/common/Settings.h
index 117f16be4..f54db1a66 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/Settings.h
+++ b/src/lib/common/Settings.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ public:
   {
     inline static const auto Binary = QStringLiteral("server/binary");
     inline static const auto ExternalConfig = QStringLiteral("server/externalConfig");
+    inline static const auto ExternalConfigFile = QStringLiteral("server/externalConfigFile");
   };
 
   static Settings *instance();
@@ -113,6 +114,7 @@ private:
     , Security::TlsEnabled
     , Server::Binary
     , Server::ExternalConfig
+    , Server::ExternalConfigFile
   };
   // clang-format on
 };
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.cpp b/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.cpp
index 7ce8802da..7cc66acbb 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ const char *const AppConfig::m_SettingsName[] = {
     "loadFromSystemScope",
     "groupServerChecked", // kServerGroupChecked
     "",                   // 21 = use external config moved to deskflow settings
-    "configFile",
+    "",                   // 22 config file moved to dekflow settings
     "useInternalConfig",
     "groupClientChecked",
     "", // 25 server host name moved to deskflow settings
@@ -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_ConfigFile = getFromCurrentScope(kConfigFile, m_ConfigFile).toString();
   m_UseInternalConfig = getFromCurrentScope(kUseInternalConfig, m_UseInternalConfig).toBool();
   m_ClientGroupChecked = getFromCurrentScope(kClientGroupChecked, m_ClientGroupChecked).toBool();
   m_LanguageSync = getFromCurrentScope(kLanguageSync, m_LanguageSync).toBool();
@@ -164,7 +163,6 @@ void AppConfig::commit()
     setInCurrentScope(kLogFilename, m_LogFilename);
     setInCurrentScope(kElevateMode, static_cast<int>(m_ElevateMode));
     setInCurrentScope(kElevateModeLegacy, m_ElevateMode == ElevateMode::kAlways);
-    setInCurrentScope(kConfigFile, m_ConfigFile);
     setInCurrentScope(kUseInternalConfig, m_UseInternalConfig);
     setInCurrentScope(kLanguageSync, m_LanguageSync);
     setInCurrentScope(kInvertScrollDirection, m_InvertScrollDirection);
@@ -427,11 +425,6 @@ bool AppConfig::serverGroupChecked() const
   return m_ServerGroupChecked;
 }
 
-const QString &AppConfig::configFile() const
-{
-  return m_ConfigFile;
-}
-
 bool AppConfig::useInternalConfig() const
 {
   return m_UseInternalConfig;
@@ -455,11 +448,6 @@ void AppConfig::setServerGroupChecked(bool newValue)
   m_ServerGroupChecked = newValue;
 }
 
-void AppConfig::setConfigFile(const QString &newValue)
-{
-  m_ConfigFile = newValue;
-}
-
 void AppConfig::setUseInternalConfig(bool newValue)
 {
   m_UseInternalConfig = newValue;
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.h b/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.h
index 355508c26..86deff145 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.h
+++ b/src/lib/gui/config/AppConfig.h
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ private:
     kLoadSystemSettings = 19,
     kServerGroupChecked = 20,
     // 21 = use external config moved to deskflow settings
-    kConfigFile = 22,
+    // 22 = k config file moved to deskflow settings
     kUseInternalConfig = 23,
     kClientGroupChecked = 24,
     // 25 = serverHostName moved to deskflow settings
@@ -138,7 +138,6 @@ public:
   bool languageSync() const override;
   bool invertScrollDirection() const override;
   int port() const override;
-  const QString &configFile() const override;
   const QString &networkInterface() const override;
   bool isActiveScopeWritable() const override;
   bool isActiveScopeSystem() const override;
@@ -174,7 +173,6 @@ public:
   //
 
   void setServerGroupChecked(bool);
-  void setConfigFile(const QString &);
   void setUseInternalConfig(bool);
   void setClientGroupChecked(bool);
 
@@ -235,13 +233,6 @@ private:
   /// @brief Contains the string values of the settings names that will be saved
   static const char *const m_SettingsName[];
 
-  /// @brief Core config file extention (not the Qt settings filename)
-#ifdef Q_OS_WIN
-  inline static const auto s_ConfigFileExt = QStringLiteral("sgc");
-#else
-  inline static const auto s_ConfigFileExt = QStringLiteral("conf");
-#endif
-
   int m_Port = 24800;
   QString m_Interface = "";
   int m_LogLevel = 0;
@@ -251,7 +242,6 @@ private:
   bool m_InvertScrollDirection = false;
   bool m_LanguageSync = true;
   bool m_ServerGroupChecked = false;
-  QString m_ConfigFile = QStringLiteral("%1/%2.%3").arg(QDir::homePath(), kAppId, s_ConfigFileExt);
   bool m_UseInternalConfig = false;
   bool m_ClientGroupChecked = false;
   bool m_EnableService = deskflow::gui::kDefaultProcessMode == ProcessMode::kService;
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/config/IAppConfig.h b/src/lib/gui/config/IAppConfig.h
index 88385f41e..06f99bd40 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 const QString &configFile() const = 0;
   virtual const QString &networkInterface() const = 0;
   virtual int logLevel() const = 0;
   virtual bool enableService() const = 0;
diff --git a/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.cpp b/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.cpp
index 582e6f4f7..8c0e41e64 100644
--- a/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/gui/core/CoreProcess.cpp
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ bool CoreProcess::addClientArgs(QStringList &args, QString &app)
 QString CoreProcess::persistServerConfig() const
 {
   if (Settings::value(Settings::Server::ExternalConfig).toBool()) {
-    return m_appConfig.configFile();
+    return Settings::value(Settings::Server::ExternalConfigFile).toString();
   }
 
   const auto configDir = paths::configDir(true);
diff --git a/src/test/shared/gui/mocks/AppConfigMock.h b/src/test/shared/gui/mocks/AppConfigMock.h
index 635dcb0ad..63647b160 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(const QString &, configFile, (), (const, override));
   MOCK_METHOD(const QString &, networkInterface, (), (const, override));
   MOCK_METHOD(int, logLevel, (), (const, override));
   MOCK_METHOD(bool, enableService, (), (const, override));
diff --git a/src/test/unittests/gui/core/CoreProcessTests.cpp b/src/test/unittests/gui/core/CoreProcessTests.cpp
index 911c90df0..b05fb9507 100644
--- a/src/test/unittests/gui/core/CoreProcessTests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/unittests/gui/core/CoreProcessTests.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ public:
   CoreProcessTests() : m_coreProcess(m_appConfig, m_serverConfig, m_pDeps)
   {
     Settings::setValue(Settings::Server::ExternalConfig, true);
-    ON_CALL(m_appConfig, configFile()).WillByDefault(testing::ReturnRef(m_configFile));
+    Settings::setValue(Settings::Server::ExternalConfigFile, m_configFile);
     ON_CALL(m_appConfig, processMode()).WillByDefault(Return(ProcessMode::kDesktop));
   }