diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/blendfile.c b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/blendfile.c
index 05ea7983b8e..980df05aca2 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/blendfile.c
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/blendfile.c
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ static void setup_app_data(
         const char *filepath, ReportList *reports)
 {
 	Scene *curscene = NULL;
+	const bool is_startup = (bfd->filename[0] == '\0');
 	const bool recover = (G.fileflags & G_FILE_RECOVER) != 0;
 	enum {
 		LOAD_UI = 1,
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ static void setup_app_data(
 	else if (BLI_listbase_is_empty(&bfd->main->screen)) {
 		mode = LOAD_UNDO;
 	}
-	else if (G.fileflags & G_FILE_NO_UI) {
+	else if ((G.fileflags & G_FILE_NO_UI) && (is_startup == false)) {
 		mode = LOAD_UI_OFF;
 	}
 	else {
@@ -250,7 +251,9 @@ static void setup_app_data(
 		CTX_data_scene_set(C, curscene);
 	}
 	else {
-		G.fileflags = bfd->fileflags;
+		/* Keep state from preferences. */
+		const int fileflags_skip = G_FILE_FLAGS_RUNTIME;
+		G.fileflags = (G.fileflags & fileflags_skip) | (bfd->fileflags & ~fileflags_skip);
 		CTX_wm_manager_set(C, G.main->wm.first);
 		CTX_wm_screen_set(C, bfd->curscreen);
 		CTX_data_scene_set(C, bfd->curscene);
diff --git a/source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_init_exit.c b/source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_init_exit.c
index fc6b2571f09..e73ec2b081a 100644
--- a/source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_init_exit.c
+++ b/source/blender/windowmanager/intern/wm_init_exit.c
@@ -184,9 +184,6 @@ void WM_init(bContext *C, int argc, const char **argv)
 	BLF_init(); /* Please update source/gamengine/GamePlayer/GPG_ghost.cpp if you change this */
 	BLT_lang_init();
 
-	/* Enforce loading the UI for the initial homefile */
-	G.fileflags &= ~G_FILE_NO_UI;
-
 	/* reports cant be initialized before the wm,
 	 * but keep before file reading, since that may report errors */
 	wm_init_reports(C);