diff --git a/Configuration.cpp b/Configuration.cpp
index 717ac6542..d46c73dbe 100644
--- a/Configuration.cpp
+++ b/Configuration.cpp
@@ -1216,7 +1216,15 @@ void Configuration::impl::read_settings ()
 
   if (settings_->contains ("FrequenciesForModes"))
     {
-      frequencies_.frequency_list (settings_->value ("FrequenciesForModes").value<FrequencyList::FrequencyItems> ());
+      auto const& v = settings_->value ("FrequenciesForModes");
+      if (v.isValid ())
+        {
+          frequencies_.frequency_list (v.value<FrequencyList::FrequencyItems> ());
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          frequencies_.reset_to_defaults ();
+        }
     }
   else
     {
diff --git a/MetaDataRegistry.cpp b/MetaDataRegistry.cpp
index 74a0e463b..8876397c4 100644
--- a/MetaDataRegistry.cpp
+++ b/MetaDataRegistry.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,14 @@ void register_types ()
 {
   // Radio namespace
   auto frequency_type_id = qRegisterMetaType<Radio::Frequency> ("Frequency");
-  item_editor_factory ()->registerEditor (frequency_type_id, new QStandardItemEditorCreator<FrequencyLineEdit> ());
+  qRegisterMetaType<Radio::Frequencies> ("Frequencies");
+
+  // This is required to preserve v1.5 "frequencies" setting for
+  // backwards compatibility, without it the setting gets trashed by
+  // later versions.
+  qRegisterMetaTypeStreamOperators<Radio::Frequencies> ("Frequencies");
+
+ item_editor_factory ()->registerEditor (frequency_type_id, new QStandardItemEditorCreator<FrequencyLineEdit> ());
   auto frequency_delta_type_id = qRegisterMetaType<Radio::FrequencyDelta> ("FrequencyDelta");
   item_editor_factory ()->registerEditor (frequency_delta_type_id, new QStandardItemEditorCreator<FrequencyDeltaLineEdit> ());
 
diff --git a/Radio.hpp b/Radio.hpp
index 85a5fcadf..309c27022 100644
--- a/Radio.hpp
+++ b/Radio.hpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ namespace Radio
   // Frequency types
   //
   using Frequency = quint64;
+  using Frequencies = QList<Frequency>;
   using FrequencyDelta = qint64;
 
   //
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ namespace Radio
 }
 
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE (Radio::Frequency);
+Q_DECLARE_METATYPE (Radio::Frequencies);
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE (Radio::FrequencyDelta);
 
 #endif