diff --git a/Configuration.cpp b/Configuration.cpp
index 616db6725..4c053fa0d 100644
--- a/Configuration.cpp
+++ b/Configuration.cpp
@@ -1141,12 +1141,12 @@ void Configuration::impl::read_settings ()
       && next_font_ != font_)
     {
       font_ = next_font_;
-      set_application_font (font_);
     }
   else
     {
       next_font_ = font_;
     }
+  set_application_font (font_);
 
   if (next_decoded_text_font_.fromString (settings_->value ("DecodedTextFont", "Courier, 10").toString ())
       && next_decoded_text_font_ != decoded_text_font_)
@@ -2511,6 +2511,9 @@ void Configuration::impl::update_audio_channels (QComboBox const * source_combo_
 
 void Configuration::impl::set_application_font (QFont const& font)
 {
+  qApp->setFont (font);
+  // set font in the application style sheet as well in case it has
+  // been modified in the style sheet which has priority
   qApp->setStyleSheet (qApp->styleSheet () + "* {" + font_as_stylesheet (font) + '}');
   for (auto& widget : qApp->topLevelWidgets ())
     {
diff --git a/MultiSettings.cpp b/MultiSettings.cpp
index 698fcc8b8..17bb620f0 100644
--- a/MultiSettings.cpp
+++ b/MultiSettings.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <QString>
 #include <QStringList>
 #include <QDir>
+#include <QFont>
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <QStandardPaths>
 #include <QMainWindow>
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@
 #include <QMetaObject>
 
 #include "SettingsGroup.hpp"
+#include "qt_helpers.hpp"
 
 #include "pimpl_impl.hpp"
 
@@ -180,6 +182,7 @@ private:
   // remove a configuration
   void delete_configuration (QMainWindow *);
 
+  QFont original_font_;
   QString current_;
 
   // action to take on restart
@@ -307,6 +310,15 @@ bool MultiSettings::impl::reposition ()
         }
       // insert the new settings
       load_from (new_settings_, false);
+      if (!new_settings_.size ())
+        {
+          // if we are clearing the current settings then we must
+          // reset the application font and the font in the
+          // application style sheet, this is necessary since the
+          // application instance is not recreated
+          qApp->setFont (original_font_);
+          qApp->setStyleSheet (qApp->styleSheet () + "* {" + font_as_stylesheet (original_font_) + '}');
+        }
       // now we have set up the new current we can safely purge it
       // from the alternatives
       {
@@ -422,8 +434,10 @@ auto MultiSettings::impl::get_settings () const -> Dictionary
   Dictionary settings;
   for (auto const& key: settings_.allKeys ())
     {
-      // filter out multi settings group
-      if (!key.contains (multi_settings_root_group))
+      // filter out multi settings group and empty settings
+      // placeholder
+      if (!key.contains (multi_settings_root_group)
+          && !key.contains (multi_settings_place_holder_key))
         {
           settings[key] = settings_.value (key);
         }